Fruits Basket: KH Edition
by Liviyan
Summary: "Good morning, my name is Kairi Honda..." It's the beloved manga-now with KH characters! Not a crossover, and I think It fits under here better than in KH. Read and review!
1. Chapter 1

Fruits Basket: KH Edition!

Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket, or Kingdom Hearts. They belong to Takaya Natsuki and Tetsuya Nomura respectively.

_Chapter1:_

_It is said that Riku is like a handsome prince…_

Riku Sohma stood looking around his kitchen, holding an empty box of leftover dinner from that night's takeout. He sighed wearily as he looked at the mess, _What a mess…if we don't clean it up, then it's all over…_he stared at the garbage thoughtfully, then shrugged and tossed the box onto the bag of garbage, _Oh well._

_But, Riku really is a lazy person; and an extremely clumsy person._

_-scene change!-_

"Hmm…I don't think I've forgotten anything," said a young girl. Looking up at the sky, she beamed. "Whoa, it looks like it'll be pretty hot today; I think I've got everything, though!" she said, shading her sparkling blue eyes with a hand. She turned around and crawled back into the small tent, "I'll leave you to watch the house, okay Mom?" she smiled at a small picture frame, in which a young woman was smiling and making the peace-sign. Crawling back out, she stood, brushed her skirt and walked away, calling over her shoulder, "I'm going to school now!"

_Good Morning! I am Kairi Honda. My mother, who raised me by herself, passed away this May. So, I started secretly living in a tent. Although I can't quite say I live a luxurious life, it's okay. Because of my personality, it really doesn't matter the situation, or how bad it is. My motto, after all, is never give up!_

Kairi had walked along the path a ways, humming a tune to herself happily when she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. She turned her surprised gaze onto a little house sitting in the clearing. She walked in awe towards the house and looked at it. _Whoa, major discovery! There's a house actually here…."_ Sitting on the porch was a little display of rocks, painted like animals: twelve in all. _Oh, how cute!_ She smiled.

"Well, hello. Do my eyes deceive me? There's a girl, here?" A male voice sounded from above her. Kairi looked up to see a young man, only a few years older than her, standing on the porch holding a newspaper, staring at her with bright green eyes under a shock of spiky red hair.

"Oh, hello there! I'm so sorry about looking around here without your permission!" Kairi jumped back a couple feet in surprise and shock, her face turning red in embarrassment. _There's someone here? Ah, of course there is!_ She silently berated herself.

The man chuckled, "It's quite alright, you can look. I only put them out to dry. He glanced at the rocks, "but someone young like you probably wouldn't be at all interested, right?" he kneeled down next to the stand. Kairi blushed again, as she came closer to the porch. _Wow, he's very handsome isn't he?_ "Oh, no no no! I..the twelve animal ornaments are very cute!" she assured him. He smiled, "Really? Good, I like 'em, too."

Kairi looked at each one, then frowned a little. "Ah…but, there's no cat…" The man looked up again, a smile on his lips. "Cat? Oh, I guess you never heard of the cat in the legendary tale of the Zodiac?" Kairi just smiled fondly, "Oh, yes. My mom used to tell me the story all the time…"

_Flashback:_

"_A long long time ago, God told the animals "Tomorrow, I'll invite you to my banquet. You must not be late", Kairi's mother was laying next to the child Kairi in her bed. "After hearing this news, the mischevious rat, who liked practical jokes, told his neighbor, the cat, that the banquet was the day after tomorrow."_

"_On that day,the rat rode on the ox, and jumped off to get to the banquet first. The ox followed, then came the tiger and everyone else. The celebration lasted until morning. Except for the deceived cat—Kairi, why are you crying?" Her mother asked in surprised. Little Kairi sniffled, "Oh..p-poor cat…"_

_Then she jumped up and smiled, like she had come up with the greatest idea ever. "I know, I don't want my sign to be dog, I want it to be a cat!" Her mother sighed, "Alright, Kairi…whatever you like, now let's get to bed…"_

_End Flashback!_

The handsome man rested his elbow on his knee, and propped his face on his fist. "Oh? Hmm…if the guy found out he had a fan, how would he react, I wonder?" he mused aloud. Kairi cocked her head to the side, "…he?"

"Nothing!" he chuckled, waving away the question. "So, your true sign is a dog, right? No wonder I felt so close to you," he leaned in closer to her, "Don't you? Because I'm a dog, too..."

_Wham!_ Suddenly a bag came out of nowhere and hit the man in the head, as Kairi jumped back in shock yet again. "You look more like a pedophile like this...shame on you, moving closer and closer..." another male voice, this one younger, chided behind him.

"Agh, that hurts! What did you put in there, porcelain bowls? Or a dictionary?" the man exclaimed in pain and agitation, rubbing his head. Kairi glanced above to see Riku Sohma. "Mmm….actually, it was two dictionaries."

Riku smiled kindly at Kairi, "Honda-san, are you okay? I really hope my cousin didn't do anything weird to you. Kairi couldn't find her voice for a moment, "Oh…good morning!" she suddenly shouted. Riku smiled as his cousin whined, "Don't make it sound like I'm some kind of pervert…"

-At School—

"**HONDA-SAN! WHAT HAPPENED THIS MORNING?" **

Kairi jumped away in shock, uncomfortable as three girls surrounded her, jealously gleaming in their eyes. The leader seemed to be a girl in pigtails, flanked by a girl with black hair and a girl with brown hair. The leader jabbed her finger at Kairi as she continued her assault, "What's going on? Why were you walking with Sohma this morning? EXPLAIN!"

Kairi held up her hands, smiling nervously, "It was just a coincidence…you don't have to exaggerate…"

"Oh yeah? Well, if you can use the word 'coincidence', then why do we need detectives? Huh?" the girl asked while her accomplices shouted their agreements, along with a random student telling them to be quiet in the hallway. "Well, don't think so highly of yourself _just_ because Sohma was nice to you! You don't have the right!" she shouted in Kairi's face, as the latter held up her hands protectively, squeaking out apologies.

"Hey!"

The girl turned around, to freeze in terror at the sight of a tall, black-haired girl and a shorter girl whose hair was tied back in a braid. The black haired girl spoke again, "Didn't Kairi say it was just a coincidence? You don't need to go on making a fool of yourself, you know." Kairi sighed in relief at the sight of her two friends, "Oh, Tifa! Aerith!"

The pig-tailed girl regained her composure, "Oh yeah? Look who's the one interrupting…" Aerith looked at the three girls dead in the eye, "Let's use the poisonous electric pulse attack," she said smoothly. This caused the girls to promptly run away as Tifa pulled Kairi into a hug. "What a meaningless problem…Aerith, don't really use the electric pulse!" Kairi sighed, "Got rescued…."

_Flashback(This morning):_

"_So, are you really Riku's classmate? I'm Axel Sohma, Riku's cousin," the red-haired man smiled in greeting. Kairi bowed, "I am Kairi Honda, how are you?" she asked politely. "Honda-san? Um…why are you here?" Riku asked curiously. Kairi froze, _I can't tell them I live in a tent! "_Oh, I um…I live close by,"_

"_Nearby?" Axel repeated, both Sohma men looking confused. "Oh, nevermind, we're going to be late," Riku said, smiling slightly at Kairi again. "Since you are here, why don't we just walk to school together?_

_End Flashback!_

"Oh, I'm so nervous…Sohma is just so charming, he makes my heart pound and my face red," Kairi muttered to herself as she sat in cooking class with Tifa and Aerith beside her.

"I feel some mysterious electric wave emitting from him…" Aerith said, sheathing her knife. Kairi looked at her, wide eyed, "Is it really that intriguing?" Tifa just shook her head, "Oh, boy…here comes Aerith's electric waves again." Aerith took a small breath, "I'm not that sure myself."

Tifa pushed some of her hair back, "Well, he _is_ pretty mysterious, because he never talks about himself; not that I actually want to know. Like, awhile ago, there was a second-year girl who wanted to show him her feelings. But she went to hug him, he pushed her away and scared her." She sat back in her seat, looking thoughtful. Kairi looked at the table in front of her, "Why haven't I heard this story before?" Aerith picked up a spoon and put it away, "That's why I call it intriguing…"

"Well, the way he acts just make those girls more attracted to him," Tifa added. "Hey, you three! Stop using just your mouths and start using your hands!" The teacher came over to them, looking upset, and stopped dead at the sight of their food, already cooked. "The octopus is already cooked!" Tifa said edgily. "The rice is also done," Aerith added, holding a small bowl of rice. "Don't act all proud of yourselves! Honda-san made everything!" the teacher said, while Kairi looked down in embarrassment.

The teacher stalked away to another group of girls who seemed to be fooling around. "Ah! So, today after school, Im going shopping with Aerith. Do you have work today?" Tifa inquired. Kairi looked up and smiled apologetically, "Ah…yes." Aerith looked suspiciously at Kairi, "You are working too hard…is it because you need to pay for your own school fees?" she asked evenly. "If it's for school fees, you don't need to work every day…I mean, we do go to a public school," Tifa put in.

Kairi smiled proudly, "After I graduate, I want to live an independent life. So I need to start saving my money now!" Tifa swooped down on the petite brunette, a watery smile on her face, "How moving…eat, Kairi! You need your strength! You made this!" she insisted, shoving a dish under Kairi's nose.

"You still living with your father's relatives?" Kairi spun around, "Yes!" she answered Aerith quickly. The quiet girl took a bite of rice, "Do you get enough food there? They don't try to take you're wages, do they?" Kairi shook her head with a nervous smile on her face.

_I can't tell them…if Tifa found out I was living in a tent, she'd get mad. She might even ride her bike to my aunt's house!_

-Later—

Kairi was walking to her locker to collect her things before going home, when she rounded the corner she ran into Riku. "Oh! Sohma, thank you for this morning!" Riku smiled back, "I'm sorry Axel caused you some trouble."

"Oh, no! Of course not, he's not that kind of person! And, he showed me the twelve animal zodiacs!" Riku blinked at her thoughtfully as she frantically attempted to sway any of his misgivings. "Mmm…what did you talk about? Something about the cat zodiac?" Kairi flushed a light pink, "I was very silly as a kid…"

"Yes. Cats are stupid! Doesn't have a good personality!" Riku spat, walking away. Kairi looked bewildered at his retreating figure. "Ah..?" She ran up to catch up to him. "Honda-chan, do you know how the twelve zodiac came to be?" Kairi stayed silent, because in truth, she didn't know—she just remembered the story her mother told.

"It originally used counting numbers and time…then yin and yang, and complimentary and opposite theory; then it became a fortune telling thing…" Kairi looked surprised, "You mean it had nothing to do with animals?" "Right," Riku agreed, "But I'm not sure when that started…and then animals were added for whatever reason, " he explained coolly. "It's still unclear…but the cat was never added to the zodiac from the start. I think things need to stay how they are. What if cats become part of the clan? Cats are stupid!" Riku spat again.

Kairi's head spun with all this new information she was absorbing. Then, his last comments hit home, and she looked at his back. "Ah, Sohma-san..do you really hate cats?" she asked curiously. She figured he must, just to be talking this way—but who could hate cats?

Riku just turned and fixed the girl with a cold and mysterious smile. Kairi was surprised, waiting for the tall silver-haired boy's answer, but he was just smiling at her darkly. _Eh?_ She couldn't move, why was he just smiling like that? _BEEP! BEEP!_ rang a shrill sound. The young girl jumped and fished in her bag until she found her watch—"AH! It's already this late? I have to work!" she shrieked in surprise, "I'm very sorry, Sohma-san, but I have to rush to work, now!" she apologized quickly as Riku stared at her curiously, "Honda-chan…" he caught a small leaf floating in the wind. As Kairi turned around to see what he had to say, he touched it to her forehead. "This morning, I feel you don't look very well," he said almost tenderly, as he moved closer; Kairi's breath caught in her throat. "The weather is very hot. You have to look after yourself!" he advised. Kairi blinked, and he had already turned around, the leaf continuing its descent to the ground. "Hmm…see you tomorrow," he parted, walking away.

Kairi looked after the tall boy, her face flushed and her hand on her forehead, where the leaf was a moment before. _He gives that mysterious feeling…feels like my soul is charmed by his beauty…_

"Don't think too highly of yourself!" a voice warned venomously. Kairi looked to the tree across the street to see Riku's Fan Club girls staring daggers at her. "You're using Sohma's kindness, AREN'T YOU?" they demanded. "Eh!" she squeaked in reply.

_But, Sohma-san, I can't do it…my mom used to work harder than me. My father died when I was three years old. Since then, Mom worked with all her effort and supported us. Mom always cared for me…no matter what, she was always cheerful, happy, and lively; but I never thought she would die in a traffic accident._

_In regards for adopting me, my family members argued and argued. It was finally decided I would stay at Grandpa's. I didn't want to trouble him, because he is living on social welfare. So, I said I would pay for my own school fees and living expenses._

_That was in May. Four months later my grandfather told me, "**I decided to have my daughter's family living with me. Just so happens I wanted to renovate the house. During the renovation, I will be staying with my daughter. I'm really, very sorry, but can you stay with your friends**_?_" Tifa lives in a one-bedroom, one-living room unit and Aerith lives with five family members. I don't know how long the renovations would take, I can't bother them…_

_So…_

-At work—

_Why don't I live by myself? Now is the perfect chance to practice enduring the harsh life! Yes, everything has two sides to it: good and bad. It doesn't matter if I don't have any money, I can live in a tent!_

"Hey lady! Hurry up and finish, I need to cross!"

The voice shook Kairi out of her reverie—"Ah! Yes!"—as she hurried to move her pile of trash out of the way as the man crossed the hallway.

_Although there are no annoying salesmen coming, there are spiders, bugs, insects, and mosquitoes every night. A few days ago, the wind nearly blew the tent away._

Kairi sighed to herself as she wiped down a counter for her elderly co-workers; she couldn't help but do it to make up for being late today. _I can't give up!_ "I can't be feeling sad…I must live in the city…I must live in the city!" she muttered the mantra to herself, attempting to motivate her to keep going and cheer up.

-Meanwhile, several hours later—

Riku and Axel walked through the dark woods on their way back home. "Ah! This late already?" Axel commented, looking up at the moon. "Every night, it's take-out or dine out. How tiring!" he sighed. "Why don't you just cook dinner?" Riku asked his cousin.

"I did, but didn't you complain?" Axel inquired. "Garlic rice with salted vegetables. Of course, I need to complain," Riku commented. "If you're so smart, how come you don't know any housework?" The red-haired male shot back, "Two guys living together, we need a flower!"

"Easy for you to say," Riku sighed, amused. "What was the saying? The men came after the flower?" Axel mused. "Oh! Hey, isn't that Kairi, walking over there?" he asked in mild surprise, looking through the trees. Riku followed his gaze, and sure enough, the familiar shape of a small girl in the school uniform walking through the woods appeared. "Scary, you can remember a girl's name this quickly," Riku commented. Axel chuckled to himself and he held his chin, "Heh, that's nothing special," he answered, thogh he looked very proud of himself.

"But, it's late, what is she doing here?" Axel asked aloud, all serious again. "I heard her mother passed away recently…maybe she moved out here?" Riku tried to reason. "Impossible, land around here was never rented to anyone…" Axel responded. The Sohma men glanced at each other in confused silence.

Kairi stumbled towards her tent tiredly. "So…tired…" She opened the flap to her familiar picture, "I'm home, mom…I really want to go to sleep, but if I don't finish my homework…" she sighed, looking around silently, trying to will herself to stay awake enough to start her homework.

"I'll just wash my face to wake myself up…" she grabbed a towel and opened the flap again and began to crawl out. "I feel lightheaded..." She looked up to see...

Axel and Riku?

**So...theres the first chapter. Yep, I know this is sorta long, but I'm trying to stick to the chapters in the original manga as best as I can; otherwise, if I think it's good, I'll end it there. I tried to choose the Kingdom Hearts characters to fit the appropriate characters in Fruits Basket...some won't ft the bill completely, but a little OOC never really hurt anyobdy. =] I'll get the second chapter up ASAP, please review! Enjoy. ^_^**

**~Liviyan.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket or Kingdom Hearts…Just the video games, and a computer to read said manga.**

_Chapter 2_

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Axel pointed and laughed at Kairi, who froze in shock and embarrassment of being found. Riku just looked annoyed. "Axel, that's enough," he warned, sighing.

-At the Sohma's—

"So…when did you start…living in that tent?"

The Sohma boys had taken Kairi back to their home, so she could properly wash up and sleep inside a house, despite her insistences. Now, they were sitting in their living room; Kairi was hunched over apologetically, while Riku sat across the table from her curiously. Axel sat beside him, still snickering over finding her in a _tent_ of all things.

"About a week ago…" she mumbled weakly. Riku glanced at Axel out of the corner of his eye, "I thought it was strange," he said to the red-haired man, who's giggles were starting to subside. "This whole hill belongs to the Sohma family; we didn't sell or lease any land."

"Please…please let me stay there for awhile?" Kairi spoke timidly. She knew she could live in the tent since she really had to, but she was staying on someone else's property—and besides, Riku and Axel seemed friendly enough. "After the renovation is finished, I'll leave straightaway. Although I don't have much…but I'll pay you!" she reassured them. "Please…"

"Ah! It's dangerous there! The ground is loose, and there could be perverts wandering around," Axel chimed in suddenly. "A girl can't live in a tent that long!" he insisted. Riku just looked at him, surprised at how quickly he turned serious. "Finished laughing?" he asked sarcastically.

Kairi stood up bravely, pumping a fist in the air. "No problem! I'm already used to insects! I have the energy and the drive!" she assured, putting on her 'game' face. _Wow…_thought Axel and Riku, collectively.

Suddenly, Kairi fell backwards. "Honda-san?" Riku jumped to his feet, worried. He rushed over to the small girl, now on her knees. He rested a hand on her forehead, "Fever…no wonder you look so pale," he commented quietly. Axel walked towards the kitchen, "Okay, first gotta get some ice…ice…"

He stopped in the doorway. "Ah….where is it?" he asked, rubbing the back of his head. Kairi looked in the kitchen and her jaw dropped at the mass of garbage in the small room. "This…looks like a garbage dump," she said in awe, hiding her disgust. The older Sohma looked at her cheerfully, "Well said!"

_AAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_

Axel stopped and listened to the distant howling of a dog. There was silence that followed, where Kairi had no idea what to say, and Riku just watched Axel as if waiting for something. Axel started rubbing his chin, "Uh-oh…looks like there's going to be a landslide. Last storm made the soil loose," he commented. Kairi looked at him in surprise, "Huh? But…how would you know that?" Axel just looked at her , "Mmm? This is called wildlife ability," he said dramatically.

"Stop joking around, where is it?" Riku cut in impatiently. "Riku, you're so cruel!" Axel whimpered in a hurt voice. Kairi looked thoughtful, "Maybe…" she gasped just then, "Could it be near my tent?"

Axel chuckled, "Don't be silly; it can't be _that_ coincidental!" Riku just glanced at him, "Then where?"

-At Kairi's Tent—

"WAAAAAAAAAA!"

The three had made their way back to Kairi's tent, only to find it buried completely beneath what looked like a river of mud. Kairi stood in horror, her hair even seeming to stand on end, while the boys looked mildly shocked.

"No! Mom's picture is still in the tent!" Kairi exclaimed. She flung herself down at the mud and frantically began to dig, "MAMA!"

"Honda-san?" Riku asked in astonishment. He'd never seen this from Kairi Honda, so upset as she was. "Honda-san, calm down; you still have a fever!" he warned her.

"But…but Mama, she…what should I do? I need to get her out quickly. If I don't, she'll be in pain!" the poor girl panicked, digging and flinging mud everywhere, getting her uniform dirty as she got nowhere, only making a dent in the mud.

A hand covered one of her own, and she stopped long enough to look up into Axel's gentle, smiling face. "Let's come back tomorrow morning," he suggested. "If a landslide happens again, you could get hurt. You're mom might feel even worse," he reasoned with her in a soft tone. Kairi looked at the man, her cheeks flushed red, not saying a word but her eyes speaking of the panic she felt. Still, she listened to his words, and she realized he was right. If she got hurt too, her mother would just feel awful. Behind her, Riku gazed at his cousin. He never saw the gentle side of Axel, unless it was extremely serious.

-Back at the Sohma's—

Kairi was snuggled under a blanket, pulled up to her chin in the living room, back at Axel's house. "Riku went to go look for some ice," he explained, "you must be a very tired, hard working student…"

"I'm sorry…"

Axel gazed upon the small figure swathed in blankets. She continued in a weak voice, "Now…I lost my house, again…" she commented to no one in particular. Axel smiled wearily and sat down next to the girl, waving a fan at himself in the hot air. "You feel really bad, don't you?" he asked. She remained quiet for a minute, before answering, "No…because I know that…there are worse things." "Like what?" When she didn't answer, he prompted her gently, "Tell me!"

"I didn't tell her to be careful on the road…that morning of the car accident…" she said finally, although she was gazing upward, at something far away, and she didn't seem to be completely telling Axel anything anymore. He just watched her as she spoke.

"Every morning I would say it….only that day…only that morning, I…usually…I studied till morning, and overslept. I couldn't get up. Because I had a test…" she stopped a moment to cough weakly, then began to continue, each word seeming to cost her an effort as her body felt heavy, "I…I didn't want to attend high school, I wanted to work. But mom said, 'I only finished middle school. But, I wanted to be a high school student! So, you must try the high school life for me!' I know she always worked hard for me…"

"But I didn't tell her to be careful…even when she left, I didn't watch her leave…" she heaved a heavy sigh, "I'm so stupid! If I had failed, or the house got blown away, I really don't care. The most important thing is Mom…and now, I don't have the chance anymore to tell her," she said sadly. "So…at least finish Mom's wish to enter and finish high school," she finished quietly, closing her eyes. Within minutes, her even breathing cued Axel to think she was asleep.

_This is my goal…_

"I can't lose…this battle…fever…" she mumbled in her sleep. Riku walked by with an ice pack in hand and a towel over his shoulder. "Asleep?" he asked. Axel twisted around to look at his cousin, "You heard?" Riku walked over and handed the items to Axel, who proceeded to wrap the pack in the cloth and laid it on Kairi's head.

"I'm shocked," Riku murmured. "At school, she's always very happy…as if pain and suffering never come close…she is tough". Axel raised an eyebrow. "Impressive…?" he asked hesitantly, unsure if he was going to continue. "I wanted to…leave the Sohma family…and live in a tent, or go to some unknown place," the silver-haired teen said. "But, stay on Sohma family land. If I really hated this life, I should be more like Honda-san," he said sadly. "I am so naïve, right?" he turned to his cousin, who had stood up.

"You are still the young master!" Axel agreed, bopping Riku on the head with his fan. "Kairi and your thinking are totally different. And saying that she's tough…it's rude!" he added jokingly. Riku gazed at the sleeping form of Kairi, and smiled lightly. "Yes…"

He then looked over at Axel, "Can you take care of her? I need to go out." Axel gazed back at him, "Where are you going? To dig her things out?" he questioned. Riku just nodded and began walking towards the door. "I'll come with you," Axel offered, "it would be difficult for just one person."

"Alone?" Riku turned around completely and fixed Axel with a dark smile, "Who do you think…" Small beady eyes shone from everywhere behind him, as he continued to smile at his cousin, "…you are talking to?" several hundred rats came forward, out of the kitchen and gathered around the teen.

Instead of being disgusted, or freaking out like any other person, Axel just sighed in resignation. "…then be careful," he said to Riku as said boy walked out the door, the rats all following him without hesitation.

"_Kairi…"_

"_Fever again? I told you not to come out and do housechores for me!"_

"_Kairi's always like this, can't you do it slowly?"_

Kairi clenched her eyes shut, trying to cling to the image of her mother reprimanding her for trying to do housework, though smiling. She longed to keep hearing her mother's voice, over and over—how she missed her.

_One day, I will catch up. But this time, I wouldn't push it. Otherwise, Mom won't be coming back…_

Kairi finally opened her eyes, though her mind was telling her to keep them closed. She groggily looked around the room, but nothing looked familiar. She sat up and rubbed the fog of sleep from her eyes, and she continued to gaze at the room. And then, it hit her: Meeting Riku and Axel, school, work, coming home, being discovered, taken back to the Sohma house, and the landslide. _The landslide! Mom!_

Kairi stood up, "Now's not the time to dream! I still have to dig Mom out!" She ran to the door and slid it open, thinking only of her mother under the thick layer of mud in the forest. However, when she opened the door, she found Riku on the back porch, holding two bags in one hand and a photo frame in the other.

"Good morning!" he smiled cheerfully at her, "How are you feeling?" Kairi looked at him in surprise, "Ah! Good morning!" Riku held out the frame to her, "Take it, your photo." She looked at it, and brushing a few strands of hair from her face, took her mother's picture. He also set the couple bags at her feet, "Your belongings are all dug up. Make sure they're yours," he advised.

Kairi looked in shock and awe, "Ah! Sohma-san, you dug up all that dirt?" she exclaimed, "How is that possible?" Riku just smiled at her. "Eh? Why…?" then he looked at her seriously, "It's a secret."

Kairi blushed, _Eh?_ and still clutching her mother's picture, bowed low, "Oh thank you! Thank you so much!" Riku climbed up on the porch and picked up her bags, "Mmm…then, I'll take your things upstairs," he said, walking into the house. Kairi watched him go, a questioning look on her face. "Ah?"

Riku turned his head back towards the robed girl, "This house is pretty dirty, and there are only guys living here. But there's an empty room on the second floor," he explained. "Until the renovation finishes, you can live here."

Kairi burned red, though grateful as she was. "No! I object!" she cried out. She felt that they were being generous enough, letting her stay that one night, even taking care of her when she was sick. But, living with them even? She was unused to such kindness.

"Object…ah, that room has a lock…" Riku said, mistaking that she meant having a room in a house of only guys. _Especially if one of those guys is Axel…_

"I-I don't mean that!" Kairi put in, realizing what he had meant. "Only-"

"Kairi, do you like house chores?" Axel suddenly asked behind her. She jumped, "AH!" When she turned, she took a couple deep breaths to calm herself. _H-he scared me!_ "Ah, yes…I like…" she began to say, then trailed off. It wasn't more that she _liked_ to do them, it was more that she was good at doing them. She was curious as to why he was asking her this, though. "Why?"

"Welcome to the Sohma family!" Axel announced cheerfully. "Because the room has always been locked up, go open the windows," he told her. "Ah, we need to get spare keys made…" he mused to himself. Then he looked at his younger cousin, "Ah! Riku, go lend her some of your clothes!" he ordered happily, taking Kairi's bags from him. "Her clothes are all dirty," he reasoned in a quieter tone. Riku said nothing, just looked very annoyed.

Kairi, however, hadn't moved. She instead looked quite dizzy from the stroke of luck that she received. "This…can't…you have already looked after me enough! I can't bother you with housing," she insisted. It wasn't possible for her to just accept this offer, she would just be giving them more work, another mouth to feed. Riku smiled at her patiently, "Kairi, we suggested this. It's no trouble at all," he assured her. He found her attitude amusing, yet understandable.

"But—!"

"Besides, you don't have anywhere else to go, do you?"

At his question, she could not think of a response. Obviously not, if they found her living in a tent in the middle of the woods, right? In her silence, Riku snatched her belongings back and walked into the hallway. Kairi straightened, and clutching her mother to her chest, followed him quickly.

"So I will not make any more trouble, can you please tell me the rules and traditions of the Sohma family?" she asked him as he was giving her a tour. _The least I can do is respect them, if they're allowing me to live in their house…_

"That's okay." He stopped, so abruptly that Kairi just managed not to bump into him. He turned to face her, "Kairi, all you need to do is be yourself." Kairi gazed at him, listening intently; she was determined to follow every rule they had. "Be at ease, in this family…"

She gazed at him, hearing his words echo in her head: _You only have to be yourself…_

_Sohma-san is full of mystery…_

"I will do my best!" she assured in a determined voice, "Please, take care of me!"

"So," Axel flopped an arm around Riku's shoulders, pulling him to his side, "Easy for you to say. Can we live with a girl? I mean, she _is_ a girl!" Riku raised an eyebrow, "You were so happy a minute ago, now what?" he asked skeptically. He then sighed, "Nothing to worry about. As long as we don't get hugged by her." Kairi smiled, although she didn't understand what Riku was talking about.

_I feel…_

They stopped by what Kairi assumed was Riku's room, as the boy walked in, and a second later returned with a few clothes for her. He allowed her to go in, and waited patiently for her to change, before continuing to a closed door at the end of the hall. He unlocked it and opened the door wide, striding in.

_I feel like I'm still dreaming…and living in Sohma-san's house!_

"I'm going to open the windows," he informed her while crossing the room and throwing up the first window. Kairi watched him, then a thought occurred to her, _Eh? Come to think of it, what about Sohma-san's parents?_ Kairi walked in a bit, trying to get used to the room, her room. She turned around, looking everywhere.

_Because I'm so lucky, I feel a little uncomfortable…Ah! Ah, can I really live here?_

The room was silent for awhile as she took in the empty room, and Riku watched her closely, wondering what she thought, before turning to open yet another window. Kairi turned around and took a step towards the hallway.

_**CRASH!**_

Her eyes widened as she heard her room collapse behind her. Riku looked around in surprise; Downstairs, Axel looked up at the ceiling curiously, holding a take-out menu. Kairi glanced over her shoulder to check the damage already done to her room, only to see someone standing in the middle of the rubble. Someone who was _not_ Riku.

"Yo! You've been waiting for me, haven't you? You rat!"

**So, there's chapter 2! ^_^ Oh, it's coming along nicely! :D I really hope you like it, I wanted to write this for a looooong time. So…who just crashed in Kairi's room? Haha, you'll have to find out next chapter! I can't update very regularly, as it is graduation season…yay…please, read and review! You'll make my whole week!**

**~Liviyan**


	3. Chapter 3

**Alright, chapter 3, freshly made! Oh, and I need help with something…which person out of the KH world would be best (or closest) to Hatsuharu?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket or Kingdom Hearts! Yeesh…**

_Chapter 3_

* * *

><p><em>Eh?<em>

The boy standing amidst the broken wood in the middle of Kairi's room stretched, looking quite comfortable despite having crashed through the ceiling. He had light, sandy-blonde hair that spiked upward on one side of his head, and some falling around his face. He wore a well-fitting black t-shirt and cargo pants. Kairi looked up at the gaping hole in her ceiling, then back at the boy, who was having a stare-down with Riku and paying no attention to the girl behind him.

Riku sighed in an irritated manner. "Why…every time you are here, you make a mess! Haven't you had enough?" he asked edgily. He then smirked at the newcomer, as if he was used to this kind of thing. "You're so weak!" he scoffed.

The boy clenched a fist, and from behind Kairi could see a vein pulsing in his neck angrily. "Bastard…I'll make you feel like I felt last time!" he retorted confidently, "Today, I'll pay you back!" Kairi could tell that whatever was going down between the boys, it was dangerously close to a fight. She didn't want anyone to fight, it wouldn't do!

"Let's go!"

At the blonde's challenging shout, Kairi couldn't stand still. She ran forward, hoping she could stop this before it got out of hand. "Please…please wait!" However, she didn't see the small piece of wood lying in front of her, and she stepped on it, causing her to slip. She remained motionless for a moment, as she tried to get her balance, but she ended up falling forward…right onto the blonde boy in front of her.

She grasped his shirt, as he looked around in surprise, "Ah?" Riku's eyes widened in alarm, knowing what was going to come next, now that she had accidentally hugged him. The boy's cry of alarm turned to anger as he was engulfed in a poof of smoke.

_Then the cat, who couldn't attend the party because of being fooled, is still angry…_

"WAAA!"

Axel stood in the doorway and looked to Riku, who was holding the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "Riku, What was that loud noise? Roxas's here?"

Kairi looked up in embarrassment, still clutching the boy's black shirt. "S-sorry! Are you okay?" The shirt fell away, and there was no boy—instead, Kairi was holding a small, sandy-colored cat. Axel looked questioningly at her, "Why is there a cat…" he asked, amused. Riku just turned around, holding onto Axel's neck, at a loss for words. "Eh…aa…aa…" was all he could get out.

_So…the cat chases the rat everywhere._

Kairi just gazed at the cat, who glared right back. "He turned into…a cat…this was a guy…" she said, more to herself. The cat closed its eyes as if tired. "It couldn't be because I ran into him…I hit him wrong, and he changed into a cat?" she shrieked. She was confused, and at a loss. Since when do people change into cats? Impossible!

Now it was Axel's turn to pinch the bridge of his nose. "No…way…this is…" _a problem_, he finished in his thoughts. Riku didn't say a word; he couldn't believe it, he _would_ let himself get changed…

Kairi looked at Axel and Riku in alarm, "Anyway, we must get him to the hospital! The doctors can cure him!" In her rush to try and get the small cat to the hospital, a piece of wood hanging from the hole in the ceiling fell on her head, which caused the petite girl to fall right into the other two.

"Honda-san?"

"Kairi-chan!"

**Poof!**

Suddenly, Kairi was looking no longer at Riku and Axel, but instead a small sliver rat and a fiery red dog, respectively. Kairi was at a loss for words, as she came nose to nose with the dog.

* * *

><p><strong>Knock Knock Knock! <strong>

"Delivery! Hello? Sohma-san?" the delivery boy shouted from the porch downstairs.

The door opened, and a small brunette girl with a red dog, a sand-colored cat, and a silver-colored rat slammed the door open in a panic, "THEY'RE ALL ANIMALS!"

The delivery boy looked confused, "Ah? Yes, they're animals," he agreed cheerfully. "Sohma-san raises pets?" The girl started stuttering, "N-no, that's not it…!" but he didn't catch any words she could get out. "That'll be 1600 yen, please!" he said.

He felt a nudge on his hand, a wet one. He looked down to see the dog holding out Axel's wallet. The boy smiled, "Ahaha, what a clever dog!" Laughing, he took the proper amount of money out of the wallet, under the oddly suspicious glare from the dog, and handed it and the packages to Kairi, then turned and strode off the porch. "Thanks for the business!" he waved over his shoulder. _Strange house, that Sohma…_

Kairi sat on the floor with the packages, bewildered. The boy wouldn't listen to her; well, it's expected, right? She just randomly thrust some animals into his face claiming they were animals, which they _were_. She was so deep in her thoughts, she jumped when she heard a shout behind her.

"AHHHHHHH!"

She dropped the packages and twisted around in alarm, to see who had shouted; it certainly hadn't been her, the voice was too deep. Instead, she saw, it was the cat, shouting at the other two. "You guys changed too, you can't blame me!" He had the same voice as the blonde boy who had challenged Riku.

"You let your guard down first! Stupid cat!" Riku's voice came from the small rat atop the dog's head, much to Kairi's astonishment. _They...they can even talk!_

Suddenly, the dog barked commandingly. The arguing stopped as the cat fluffed its fur up, and the rat turned its head away, almost exactly like Riku had moments ago. The dog then spoke with Axel's voice, in a resigned tone, "There's no other way. Instead of trying to cover it up, why don't we just tell her?"

Kairi looked between the three, utterly confused. The dog looked up at her with the same brilliant green eyes of Axel's, unnatural for a dog. "In other words, I'm the dog. Riku's the rat. And he," he pointed with his snout towards the cat in the far corner, "Roxas Sohma, is the cat. We are possessed by the twelve animals, and there are another ten people in the Sohma family that are also possessed," he explained.

"Ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake…horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, and pig," Axel lifted a paw, seeming to count them off though he had no fingers. "Yes, like the twelve Zodiac animals." He put down his paw, and looked at the ground, while Riku studied Kairi's reaction with small eyes from his new place on Axel's tail. Roxas's head had swiveled around to glare at Kairi again, also curious as to how she'd take this news.

"From several hundred years ago, the Sohma family members have been possessed by the same twelve Zodiac animals. Although it doesn't give us any special powers, we can communicate with the animals. Our bodies are weak, and for some reason, once we are embraced by a member of the opposite sex, we will transform." He explained, concentrating on Kairi. She looked right back at him, willing herself to understand him.

"After awhile, we will automatically change back to our human form…"

**Poof!**

"…but completely naked," a now human (and naked) Axel explained, rubbing the back of his head, while Riku and Roxas appeared in a similar manner. The smoke managed to obscure anything Kairi might see, but her embarrassment caused her to spin around and face the wall quickly, just in case, and screaming in surprise, shock, and shame: "YAAAAAAAAAHH!"

The boys put their clothes back on, then signaled Kairi that it was okay to look again. Axel chuckled a little, "We let you see something you shouldn't have. Much more calm?" he asked, as he saw her breathing slow down to normal again. "I almost understand this…" she responded slowly after a moment.

_I can't believe I stumbled upon those possessed by the twelve Zodiac animals…this huge secret! Sohma-kun doesn't want anyone to find out. So that's why he pushed away that girl…_

Axel watched her contemplating in silence when he remembered something about her: she was a fan of the Cat. "By the way, Kairi!" She looked up at him, waiting for him to continue. "You said that you wanted to have the sign of the cat," he whispered to her, so Roxas couldn't hear. "Now that you've met the real person, what do you think?"

Kairi smiled as she remembered. _Yes!_ She looked around at Roxas, who was sitting on the floor in the same corner, sulking. _That person is the cat!_ "He…what kind of person is he?" she asked aloud, to no one in particular.

Axel started laughing. "Just a big idiot!" he answered her, and she spun back around in surprise. "For someone who studied martial arts, he can actually get grabbed easily from the back!" Axel continued laughing.

Roxas could feel his irritation give way to anger, while he was listening to his idiot cousin talk about him. "…should have at least sensed her," Axel chuckled, "But, what's done is done. How are you going to take that responsibility?" he asked Roxas's back. Receiving no answer, he turned back to poor Kairi, who was feeling very lost. "He has eyes only for Riku," he said, winking.

At this, Roxas couldn't take it anymore. "Don't say it that strangely!" he shouted at Axel angrily, twisting around to glare it at him. "I didn't notice her, what can I do? Plus, why is there a _girl_ here, anyway?" he spat. Kairi looked at him fearfully, "Eh!"

_What should I do? He's angry…_

"Quiet."

Everyone looked at the doorway, where Riku blew a piece of hair out of his face. "Whether there is a girl in this house, it's none of your business!" he warned edgily. "Because you are only an outsider!"

Roxas jumped up, his anger boiling under his skin. "Argh!" He had to let it out physically—punch something, kick something, break something—he didn't care, he needed to do something. So he did the first thing his body could react to: he karate-chopped the table. "SHUT UP!" he could _not _stand to hear that rat's mouth!

It felt like all the oxygen had sucked out of the room, and Roxas's anger with it. He looked to his left, to see the girl still sitting there, but…with half the table hitting her forehead. "Um?" Roxas froze—he didn't intend for anyone to get hurt, unless it was Riku. The table fell away, and Kairi sat, stunned, as blood started to trickle down her forehead from the scratch.

Axel gasped, "Kairi, you're bleeding!" Kairi managed to get her voice back, "Ah? Eh, bleeding?" she panicked. Roxas just gazed at the poor girl, who was flailing her arms while Axel went to retrieve a bandage; he didn't want to hurt her, she hadn't done anything.

**SLAP!**

Roxas felt his cheek sting as Riku struck him. Roxas didn't react this time, the shock of his action still not completely gone. Kairi gasped, "What…?" as Axel returned with the bandage for her.

"I know you're dumb, but I never thought you were this dumb," Riku muttered to the blonde, who was looking anywhere but at the people in the room—especially Kairi. Riku began to unbutton the first two buttons of his school shirt. "Today, just for your stupidity, I'll be especially serious and fight you!" He smirked at the boy, who had finally met his steady gaze.

"Roxas, you're not going to bore me, right?"

Roxas suddenly sprang forward. "That's just what I wanted to hear! YOU GIRLY BOY!" he threw his leg out to kick Riku, who threw up his arm to block it. Kairi started to get up, completely disregarding the blood running down her face. "Sohma-kun!" she said worriedly. Roxas seemed so strong, and Riku looked so…well, he didn't look like the type to fight. Axel put a hand on her shoulder and pulled her back down to his level. "Don't worry," he assured,"Their relationship has always been extremely bad. Whenever they see each other, they will argue and fight. Here, let's stop the bleeding first," he began to wipe the blood from her face with a cloth, and she sat obediently, though still worried for the boys.

Something clicked in her mind then; she remembered asking Riku yesterday, "_You hate cats?" _and she could clearly remember his dark smile.

_The smile that time…so probably that smile of his __meant "of course I do"?_

"After seeing Roxas, it has ruined your dreams about being the sign of the cat, hasn't it?" Axel chuckled while applying the bandage to her forehead. Kairi looked at him, "Ah! Sh-shouldn't we stop them?" she asked hesitantly. A small smile crept on Axel's face, "There's no need. Anyways, it'll be over pretty soon, win or lose. And today should be the same: Riku will win."

Kairi watched the boys again, Roxas kicking and punching with all his might at the silver-haired teen, who just kept dodging and moving so not a hit landed on him. Suddenly, Roxas threw a punch, which Riku blocked with his arm. In the second after, he grabbed Roxas's wrist, and pulled him so close they were almost touching noses. Riku smirked as a look of confusion swept through Roxas's blue eyes

**WHACK!**

Roxas went flying as Riku finally aimed a kick at him. Kairi gasped as he went through the door, knocking it clear out of the house as he landed in the yard. Riku straightened up and fixed his shirt, not even bothered that he had kicked his cousin through a door. He stretched his arm and looked scornfully into the yard. "I said, don't let me get bored!"

Kairi didn't move, too surprised to do or say anything. _Oh my goodness…Riku…ah, I didn't expect…_

Axel sighed, "You shouldn't destroy the house too, Riku-kun," he admonished, inspecting the damage, and looking onto the porch from where the door was. Riku only nodded his head at him, "I never thought he would fly that far…he didn't put up a guard at all," he admitted. Kneeling next to Kairi, he peered at her forehead with concern. "Honda-san, how's your wound?" Kairi threw up her hands, "Ah, I'm perfectly fine!" she responded.

Kairi looked out at Roxas's still figure, lying in a bush. "But…that person…" Riku followed her gaze, "Mm? Oh, he'll be fine. What _I'm_ worried about is the garden…"

_I learned a new fact. He, who everyone calls "Prince," is actually very strong! Although he excelled at all the sports…but this is different. It feels different when he's in school…_

There was silence for a minute, then: "SCHOOL!" Kairi shouted, "I'M LATE!" Axel and Riku looked at her in alarm.

Riku watched her curiously, "School…your uniform is dirty," he pointed out to her. Kairi threw on her uniform, which indeed was covered in dried dirt and mud. "No problem! I'll just say I tripped and fell, it'll be okay!" she said, looking around for her bag. Riku studied her uniform. _That dirty just from falling? No…I don't think that's possible…_

Finding her bag, she turned to Axel, a bit calmer. Bowing, she apologized, "For this situation, I'm sorry…but, going to school…this is the one thing I promised my mom…" Axel held up a hand to stop her, "It's okay, really."

She straightened up, gazing at him in surprise. He looked at her, more seriously now. "But, I have to report to Xion-san, the current head of the Sohma family, about this. Because someone knows the Sohma family's biggest secret," he explained casually.

Kairi smiled at him after a moment. "The head of the house…must be an interesting person! I understand." She bowed again, then walked out the door and off the porch. Turning around, she waved. "I'm going to school now!" she said over her shoulder.

Riku watched her in silence for a moment. "I was just wondering why you would tell her all about us," he said finally. Axel glanced at him. "You plan to seal her memory, don't you?" he accused the red-haired man. "Just like before."

Axel sighed wearily. "That's not what I have in mind. We had no choice that time, because of the number of people who knew." Riku stood there a moment longer, then turned around and moved towards the stairs. "I should also be going to school." Looking over his shoulder, he called to Roxas, "Remember to fix the roof. Stupid cat!"

Axel looked down at his cousin, who was starting to get up. "Roxas-kun, I'm counting on you to look after the house. Don't go disappearing again!" He half turned away before adding, "And, you need to apologize properly to Kairi."

Roxas glanced at Axel out of the corner of his eye, "…..shut up."

**Well, there's chapter 3 for ya! I had a hard time deciding if I should've kept going, but then I though, "Nah, it's pretty good to stop here." So, please review! And I hope you approve of my choice for Kyo! Im pretty proud, as Kyo is my absolute favorite character, so I think I did him some good justice by casting Roxas as him. ^_^**

**~Liviyan**


	4. Chapter 4

**And now Chapter 4 is finally here! *cue cheering from little kids* Okay, enough. I would greatly love to thank FBFan for faithfully reviewing my story so far, AND giving me helpful advice. I have no idea what your prize is yet, so for now…here's another chapter. Enjoy!**

_Chapter 4_

* * *

><p>-At School—<p>

"Great! I got to use the washing machine!" Kairi said happily. She was wearing her gym clothes for now, since she had just finished cleaning her uniform, which she was carrying. Tifa looked suspiciously at her little friend, "Look at your exaggerating expression. How did you really fall?" Kairi just giggled nervously, "Yaa…"

"Already finished washing your clothes?" a voice sounded behind the girls. They turned to see the Prince Riku Fan Club leader smirking at Kairi. "But the dirty look suits you…" Aerith gazed at her in her expressionless way, and followed the distraught girl down the hallway.

"It's because today, the Prince was also late. So they are randomly guessing," Tifa huffed irritably. Kairi just smiled nervously. _I can't tell them I'm living in his house…_"I…I'm going to go change," she announced cheerfully. "Thank you, Aerith-chan!" Aerith, who had just came back around the corner, asked "Do you want me to come with you?"

"That's okay!"

She made her way down the hall quickly, and changed back into her uniform. She was just about to turn around the corner after leaving the dressing room when she heard a familiar voice call her name: "Honda-san." Kairi looked around to see Riku leaning on the opposite wall. "You didn't…about us…tell your friends?" he asked intently.

Kairi's eyes widened, and she clutched her clothes to her chest. "Eh? No! I didn't say anything! Did I make you feel uncomfortable! I'll never tell. My mom always says that blabbing other people's business is the worst!" Riku sighed, "That's not what I mean…"

But Kairi didn't seem to hear him. "I'll swear! I'll even write it in blood!" She held up her arm and everything. Riku held up his hand, "No, I didn't mean…" _What kind of person was your mother?_ He wondered.

Riku was silent for a moment as she stopped babbling. Finally, he spoke softly, "Anyways, even if you can keep our secret, we may have to erase your memory." He put both hands on either side of Kairi's head and leaned his weight on them. Kairi blushed, "Eh?" as he continued.

"Sorry, I say 'erase'. But actually, it's like hypnosis…in the past, like today, people found out about it, when I was in the second grade," he explained. Kairi gazed at him in silence, waiting for him to continue.

"I was playing in the yard…a little girl jokingly hugged me…we ended up erasing the memory of everyone who was there." He looked past Kairi's shoulder, at the wall sadly, as he remembered that day, so long ago:

_Flashback:  
><em>

_A young Riku stood before a window, dressed in a traditional kimono. His young face held confusion as he spoke, "Xion…Xion, am I so strange that you have to hide me?"_

_Another voice, this one also young, came from the window, where another young child sat in the dark. "Mmm…yes, you are strange. Because people turning into rats is definitely strange," the voice said, with malice evident even for a child. Riku looked on, disheartened at his own strangeness, as the voice went on. "If normal people found out, they will definitely be afraid and stay away! They'll leave you!" it shouted mercilessly._

_End Flashback!_

"S-Sohma-kun?"

Riku started, having been so lost in his memory, he hadn't heard Kairi. She was looking up at him with concerned, royal-blue eyes. He turned his head away, unable to look into those kind eyes while knowing what he was telling her. "…I can't go against Xion's decisions. No matter what is decided, I can't," he said apologetically. "So…I'm sorry…for involving you in the Sohma family's problems…sorry," he apologized.

He turned away sadly, about to leave. Kairi stood still for a moment, then realized what he was doing. "Please, wait!" she said, grabbing ahold of him, obviously forgetting the effect of this action.

**POOF!**

Kairi knelt down, leaning against the wall while weakly hitting her fist in frustration on it. "I'm soooooooooooooo sorry!" she cried in shame. "I-I didn't do it on purpose! Ah! I'm such an idiot!" she berated herself. Riku, now a small rat, sat among his clothes. "No problem," he said patiently, "as long as no one sees it…"

Kairi looked down at the little rat. "Ah! Thank you for worrying about me," she said gratefully. Riku looked up at her in surprise as she continued. "I'm very happy. Don't worry, I'm fine," she smiled. Leaning forward, she smiled even wider, in understanding. "As your secret is known, it's only right to report to the head of the family. So please, do whatever makes you feel secure!" she said.

_Although, forgetting about this, I may feel lonely. You unconditionally let a strange like me into your home…I'm already very very happy. _

_So…I will endure._

"But," she added, "if my memory is erased, please continue to be my friend!"

**POOF!**

"Ahhhh!" Kairi looked away as Riku changed back to his human form. As he got dressed, he spoke casually, "Sometimes it's very quick to return to normal." Kairi waited until he let her know it was okay to look. She turned around and saw that he looked back to himself, though something about him looked…off. She studied him for a moment before realizing what it was. "Ah, Sohma-kun! You're tie is loose!" He looked down in surprise at his small plaid tie, same as Kairi's (A/N: They're wearing the school uniform in KH2). "Eh? Ah…I'm not very good at it," he admitted sheepishly.

Kairi giggled, "You actually have this side, too! It's very surprising," she said cheerfully. She moved closer to him, and fiddled with his tie, "Let me do it!"

_If normal people find out, they will be afraid to come close to you…_

"Honda-san," he asked quietly as she re-tied his tie, "You don't feel…uncomfortable?" He was afraid of the worst: she'd say yes, actually, and thank you for everything, then walk right out of his life. Like everyone else.

"Mm? Yes, I'm fine!" she chirped brightly, obviously not understanding what he meant. Riku thought a moment as she finished and stepped back. "Today…let's walk home together," he said. "Sure! Let's go home together!" she agreed. Riku fell into step beside her, remembering her words: _"Please, continue to be my friend!"_ After a moment, he said, "Thank you."

"Don't mention it! I'm good at tying ties!"

* * *

><p>-At Home—<p>

Riku and Kairi walked into the house. "Hello? We're home!" Riku called. Kairi looked around, and Riku added, "It looks like Axel isn't back yet." Kairi smiled, "Okay! I'll just go put my stuff down."

She went up the stairs with her bag, _Okay, I need to do my homework…I'll do it after I make dinner,_ she thought. She turned into her new room, and stopped. Roxas was coming down a ladder, holding a roll of tape in his mouth. He glanced at her, and she saw he still had a slight red mark where Riku had slapped him that morning.

"I only did a temporary fix," he said, not unkindly but in a tight voice. Kairi looked to where he was pointing, and saw what his 'fix' was: a tarp taped down around the edges. "We'll get professional repairs later. For now, this'll at least keep the rain out." Kairi nodded, "Ah! Yes, yes!"

_I finally have a chance to meet Mr. Cat, but…_

She gave a small, sad sigh. _I feel like he doesn't like me,_ she thought.

"Hey!"

She snapped to attention, "Ah! Y-YES?" He faced away from her, clutching the tape in his fist. He seemed to be trying to will himself for something, Kairi noticed. "Once I'm angry, I will not notice anything around me. This is due to lack of training, and I lost to that bastard, Riku," he explained, sounding rather choked. "So…this morning…" he turned red.

Kairi looked at him curiously, wondering what he was saying. He took a breath, and tried to say what he knew he _had_ to say to her: "About this morning…I'm sorr—"

"I'M HOME!"

Axel's voice resonated downstairs, "Riku-kun! Kairi-kun! I'm back!" After a minute, he added, "And the slow, careless, and always losing in a fight, Roxas-kun!" At this, Roxas clenched his fist even tighter.

"NOTHING! DAMN YOU!" he shouted, still red in the face from embarrassment as he stalked out the door past the girl. Kairi looked confused, "Eh? Eh?"

She followed him downstairs, though she couldn't quite figure out what to say to him. They made their way to the living room, where Axel and Riku stood waiting. Kairi sat down at the table, and Roxas went to his corner. "Good news!" Axel began when they were settled.

"Xion says if Kairi-kun can keep our secret, she can live with us," he said. Kairi gasped, "No punishment?" Axel chuckled, "No punishment! But you must keep it a secret, alright?" Kairi nodded eagerly, "Yes!"

Riku looked at his older cousin skeptically. "Mmmm…." Kairi was elated; she clapped her hands together in excitement at this great piece of news.

_Great…now you don't have to erase my memory!_

"One more thing…" Axel added. He looked down at Roxas, "Xion wants Roxas-kun to live here, too." At this, said boy's eyes widened. He glared around at Axel, "Hey…you mean, I have to live with Riku under the same roof?" "Xion's decision can't be changed!" Axel reminded him.

"WHAT A JOKE! That annoying Xion…" Roxas grumbled angrily. Riku closed his eyes thoughtfully, "That stupid cat got tied here, too," he murmured. He then fixed Axel with a suspicious look, "This is going too well. Dragging Honda-san in…are you and Xion planning something?" he asked quietly.

Axel thought back to his earlier visit with Xion; sitting out on the porch with the head of the family. Xion was holding a bird while they talked.

"_Let's trust that Kairi! This may be a good opportunity for Roxas, Riku, and me…" Xion chuckled then, "However, Riku is very sharp. Be careful…"_

Axel chuckled, "Eh, yeah…How can you say that? Riku-kun, you'll have to learn to trust others.." Riku just glared at him in response. Kairi stood up, and the boys all looked to her.

"Although it's strange to say it again, but I guess I have to 'Nice to meet you, and please take care of me' again! I'll be troubling from now on," she warned, bowing and smiling gratefully. Riku gazed at her. "Mmmm…welcome…"

Kairi then walked slowly over to Roxas, who was now brooding over his new living conditions. "Plea-pleased to meet you, Roxas-san…" she said hesitantly.

"Who are you pleased to meet?" Roxas whipped around to shout at her; he really didn't want to hear anyone talking to him right now, it'd just get on his nerves. "In this house…" he continued

**BAM!**

Riku sent him flying through the door again with another kick. Axel rubbed the back of his head, and Kairi looked on in worry at the two fighting boys.

"You bastard! I just fixed the door!"

"If you are not happy, then leave!"

"YAAAAAAAA!"

"There's no room for you, go sleep on the roof!"

"...Eh…...?"

_**In summary… Kairi Honda started living life with the Sohma family.**_

* * *

><p><strong>So, Chapter 4 is finished. I know it's shorter this time, but this is where the chapter ends in the manga. So, please review, and tell me what you think! And yes, in case ANYONE is confused (though I doubt you really are) here's the characters so far:<strong>

**Tohru Honda=Kairi**

**Yuki Sohma=Riku**

**Kyo Sohma=Roxas**

**Shigure Sohma=Axel**

**Arisa Uotani=Tifa**

**Saki Hanajima=Aerith**

**Akito Sohma=Xion**

**R&R! ^_^**

**~Liviyan**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5! Yay, I feel like I'm on a roll! Two chapters in one day! =] Well, here we go…**

**Disclaimer****: I don't own Fruits Basket, or Kingdom Hearts. Nor did I in any past chapter where I forgot to mention this…**

_Chapter 5_

* * *

><p>Kairi had been living in the house with Riku, Roxas, and Axel for a couple nights, before she decided to clean the mess of a kitchen. Roxas and Axel had gone out somewhere together, and Riku had decided that he would go out as well, and would be back soon to check on her. It had taken her a few hours, but she managed to clear out all the garbage, wash all the dishes, and all the surfaces, as well as start cooking dinner. Riku came back just about an hour before dinner, walking into the house with a tired yet satisfied air. He stopped dead in the doorway of the kitchen, where Kairi greeted him with a 'welcome home!'.<p>

"Impressive," he said in awe, before walking in and observing the unfamiliar room. "I can hardly believe you actually cleaned the dirty kitchen!" Kairi, in her standard pink dress and her hair put up in clip, wiped her forehead, wearing a proud smile. "That's because I worked hard cleaning it up! Dinner is almost ready, too!"

Riku noticed the rice cooker on the counter. "There's a rice cooker in the house?" he asked. _I never knew that…_Kairi nodded, "I dug it out!" she said happily.

_I decided to temporarily stay at the Sohma house. I'm responsible for all their house chores; in return, I don't have to pay rent or any other expenses. I'm extremely grateful. _

_I must work harder! I would like to help them even more!_

Kairi and Riku sat down for dinner at the table in the living room. Riku took some rice and popped it in his mouth. "Mmmmm…very delicious." Kairi smiled, "Really? It's not too bland?" she asked.

Riku smiled kindly at her, his sea-green eyes seeming to glitter in appreciation. "It's just right! I haven't tasted food like this for a long time…"

Kairi smiled, _Great!_ she thought. "But where did Axel and that stupid cat go?" he asked, more seriously. Kairi's smile disappeared as she realized he was right; they've been gone for awhile now. "I've been wondering, too…It seems they left early in the morning, and it's this late already…"

"Don't be concerned," Riku told her, while helping himself to more dinner. "But, it's just a waste to let the food go cold." Kairi smiled after a moment, relaxing.

_Mama, this is amazing. I am actually eating across from Sohma-kun…plus, he is the rat of the twelve Zodiacs. It's like a fairly tale!_

"So, just now, you went out too? Out shopping?" she asked, to make conversation. Also, she was kind of curious as to what he did with his day. Riku swallowed before answering, "No. I was in the garden…the secret base."

Kairi gasped excitedly, "The secret base? Wow, sounds exciting!" Riku chuckled at her reaction. "It may not be what you are thinking. If you want, I can take you next time," he offered. She smiled widely, "Eh? You sure? I'm so happy! A secret base! When I was little, all the boys would never allow girls into their secret base! Ah, I'm so happy!" she almost squealed. Riku smiled at her, finding it almost endearing.

**SLAM!**

"SHUT UP!"

"Roxas, I said listen to me a second!"

Roxas had slammed the door open in anger, with Axel following exasperatingly, dressed in a suit. Roxas didn't want to hear it, though, "I'm ready to blow up with anger! Do you enjoy manipulating people?" he shouted in rage as he strode through the living room to the stairs, not even paying any attention to Kairi or Riku.

Axel followed just as briskly, not about to just let this one go so easily. "Wait a second! About enjoyment, although I do enjoy it, this is for your own good!"

"You're not being the least bit persuasive!"

Kairi smiled up at Roxas, "Welcome home! Dinner's ready!"

"I'm not eating!" Roxas snapped at her. "ROXAS!" Axel admonished, "You shouldn't take it out on Kairi-kun! Also, please enter from the main entrance, and don't forget to take off your shoes!" he added, while he himself was taking off his own shoes.

Riku glanced up at him, "Axel, you really don't have any persuasive power," he commented. "This is the first time I've seen you in a suit! Looks great!" Kairi complimented. "Really? Really?" Axel asked, completely losing his serious manner. "Looks like a host," Riku muttered.

Axel noticed the food on the table. "Oh, dinner's ready!" Kairi looked out the door towards the stairs. "That…that, Roxas-san, he…" she trailed off. "Hm? Oh, he's just throwing one of his temper tantrums. Don't mind him, " he assured her. "Because I tricked him into taking a transfer student entrance test." He explained, helping himself to some dinner.

Kairi cocked her head to the side. "Transfer student…?" Axel continued, "Which means starting tomorrow, Roxas-kun will go to the same high school as you!" he said cheerfully, while Riku froze.

Suddenly, the silver-haired boy was standing intimidatingly over his cousin. "You can't eat," he said menacingly, the venom practically oozing out of his mouth. "You are not welcome here anymore. Get out!" Axel smiled nervously—he knew Riku could do some serious damage to him _and_ his house. "Mmm…I knew you'd be angry…"

Axel leaned on the table, as Riku made himself sit down and focused completely on eating so he wouldn't break something like Axel's face. "Roxas…even after he made it into an all boys' school, he didn't even want to go," he muttered. "Disappeared for more than four months. Nobody knew where he was, but he told me today. He was training in the mountains."

Kairi rose and started to collect the dirty dishes. "Training?" she inquired. "Which kind of training? The kind where you stand under a waterfall and fight bears?" Riku asked sarcastically. "Mm, something like that?" Axel responded.

"Training…what is he trying to do?" Kairi asked curiously as she came back for more dishes.

"Because Roxas wants to beat Riku in a fight," Axel answered with a small smile. "Those two have been rivals ever since they were little." Riku scoffed, "That moron…" Kairi frowed sadly.

_To endure through such rigorous training, just to defeat Sohma-kun…Is it because like in the legend, he still holds a grudge?_

_But, after hearing this…I feel I owe Roxas-san something…_

_Also, I feel that Roxas-kun hates me…so, it feels lonely. Just when I finally meet the Cat of the twelve Zodiacs, but…_

* * *

><p>-The Next Morning—<p>

"No! I don't want to!"

The Sohma house that morning was very loud, and very tense. It was time to go to school, and although Roxas had put on the uniform (no tie, and an unbuttoned shirt to reveal his t-shirt underneath), he was very unwilling to actually leave. "I DON'T WANT TO BE IN THE SAME HIGH SCHOOL AS RIKU!" he shouted, much like a child.

Axel sighed, "Isn't it great? You can talk to beautiful high school girls!" he tried to persuade him. "But if I got hugged, that would be a problem!" the blonde teenager retorted.

"That…talking about girls to Roxas…" Kairi started to say, though in her nervousness she was much too quiet, and went unheard by Axel.

"If you don't want this…" Riku began, "When taking the test for transferring schools, why didn't you just get a bad grade?" At this, Roxas froze.

He rested his forearm wearily across his head. "Why…why didn't I think of that?" he asked himself.

"Because you are stupid," Axel and Riku answered simultaneously, as a sweatdrop appeared on poor Kairi's head.

* * *

><p>-At School—<p>

"Where? Where?"

"Over there, that one with the blonde hair!"

"Eh? They don't look alike!"

"How cute!"

"Are you really Sohma-san's cousin?"

"Are you close to Sohma-kun?"

A group of girls had gathered around the desk where Roxas reluctantly sat, feeling more and more uncomfortable by the minute. Not only was he nervous about some accident happening with these _girls_ around, he just didn't do so well with lots of people. He just kept glaring harder and harder at the desktop, it's a wonder he didn't burn a hole into it.

_He looks scary…_Kairi thought as she watched him from the other side of the classroom; Aerith was busy trying to curl some of her hair.

"Riku-kun!" one of the older students came over to where said teenager was sitting, conversing with one of his classmates. "You're cousin transferred to our school? Introduce us!" she said cheerfully.

"Sorry, sempai," he apologized, though he didn't sound sorry at all, "We're not that close. We don't even speak to each other," he added, as Kairi looked even sadder at hearing Riku talk about his cousin like that.

Tifa waltzed over to her friends. "His hair color looks a bit like Kyoko-san's!" (A/N: I have no idea who to play her mother, but as she doesn't really appear in the manga alive, I'm just going to keep her as she is…except blonde.) Kairi brightened, "Yes, it does, doesn't it?" Aerith smiled as she let one of Kairi's curls fall. "Yes, the same."

Suddenly, she stiffened. "Same…the same…" She murmured. Both girls looked at her, Kairi curiously and Tifa skeptically. "I can feel the same type of electromagnetic wave like Riku Sohma has…what is it? What kind of wave?" she asked herself. Kairi stiffened while Tifa turned her gaze back to Roxas.

_Aerith-chan's electromagnetic wave detection can never be underestimated!_

Roxas stood up with a start and walked towards the door of classroom, without a word. The girl who had last asked him something caught up with him. "Eh? Where are you going? Let's talk a little longer!" she said happily, grasping his arm.

In a flash, Roxas had her pinned on a desk, holding her arm up. "Ouch, ouch!" the girl shrieked. Roxas had a crazed and trapped look on his face. Kairi jumped up, "Roxas…"

"Sohma-san, what's the matter?"

"Stay away from me!"

"Hey, calm down!" someone else tried to soothe him.

He ran to the window and threw it open before climbing onto the sill. "Leave me alone!" he shouted before jumping. "No! This is the second floor!" someone squealed in fright. However, looking out the window, they saw Roxas running away from the school without any sign of strain.

All the girls gathered around the window began squealing among themselves again. "Sohma-kun's cousin is different, alright!" "That's not the question, right? This is the second floor!" "It hurts! I am a girl, how can he do that?" Riku remained silent.

Tifa laughed in amusement, "This guy is really interesting!" Aerith was focused on curling Kairi's hair again, while the small girl looked shocked and worried. _Roxas…_

* * *

><p>-On the other side of the school—<p>

Roxas sat on a small curb, panting from running. He was bent over, looking at the ground and panting loudly, so he didn't hear anyone approach him.

"Hey!"

He looked up suddenly to see Riku standing in front of him. "Can you use your head before you act?" he asked scornfully. "If you cause trouble like this, it would inconvenience me."

Roxas looked back down. "Are you nuts? Why are you going to a school with girls everywhere?" he asked between taking breaths. Riku sighed. "Compared to hiding and live in fear of transforming every day, it's better to go to the all boys school Xion picked. I wish to break the chains placed by the twelve Zodiacs." He looked down at Roxas again, "You actually would jump right in. I really don't understand what you are thinking!"

Roxas felt his anger rise. "…like you…a rat would understand?" he asked incredulously. At that moment, Kairi had just found them in the courtyard, and ran up to get them, when she heard Roxas shouting. "I WILL WIN! I WILL DEFEAT YOU!" he declared angrily.

Kairi watched in amazement as he continued, "I will not be excluded by the Sohma family anymore!" Riku just gazed at him with a dark look. Roxas grabbed a handful of Riku's shirt, "I will WIN!" he yelled in determination, ready to beat him down.

She couldn't just stand there. She began to worry, for Riku and for Roxas. "No!"

_NO!_

She ran forward, straight into Roxas, like before at home.

**POOF!**

Kairi was kneeling on the ground with Roxas the cat standing stiffly in front of her, his clothes spread out around her. "I'm sorry!" she apologized, "I know you're very angry…but, you can't fight. If you fight in school, something bad may happen…" she continued to babble, terrified they would start up again.

"Hey!"

Kairi looked up at Roxas, whose fur was standing up on end as he glared at her with slitted eyes. "JUST SHUT UP!" he yelled, where she stared at him in astonishment, at a loss for words. "Don't bother me, what are you doing? I don't care if something bad may happen! Beating Riku will be good!" he shouted. "Roxas…" Riku warned.

But the cat just continued shouting—how _dare_ this silly little girl get in the way of his fight? "You're in the way!" Suddenly, he realized what he had just done…just a little late. She froze, not saying a word, and Roxas watched her anxiously.

She walked away, feeling embarrassed, sad, and ashamed as well as pure shock at how intense he was. Behind her, Roxas opened his mouth as if to say something—apologize, maybe?—but nothing came out. Riku watched the scene in irritated silence.

_That was maximum rage…he hates me, he totally hates me!_

Riku turned away, "You…you're really stupid." He said quietly, and intensely. Roxas didn't get angry, just felt embarrassed, because he knew (though he'd _never_ admit it) that his annoying cousin was right. "…you wouldn't fight me?" he asked finally.

"Sometimes, this hurts more," he responded, then walked away, leaving the cat alone with his clothes. He reached out a paw and silently pulled his shirt towards him.

* * *

><p>-Back in the school—<p>

"_I've decided! I don't want to be year of the dog, I want to be year of the cat!"_

_I was serious when I said that…my tears are actually flowing!_

_In the mountain far away, when God was happily feasting with the twelve animals…the cat was dreaming about the non-existing banquet for tomorrow, and entered the sweet dreamland..._

_What do I do now?_

Kairi was kneeling in the hallway underneath a fire extinguisher locker. _I would join a fanclub if one existed for the Year of the Cat…now he really hates me, I'm so stupid…_she thought sadly.

Riku just turned the corner and spotted her, and so did her friends on the opposite end. "Kairi-chan!"

"I received Kairi's electric signals!" Aerith informed. Kairi started and saw them. Tifa followed where Aerith was pointing, "Ah, there! What are you doing sitting here, class is starting…"

**BONK!**

'OW ow ow ow ow! Hurts so much, my tears are actually flowing…" Kairi insisted in a pained voice, holding her head. _Originally, I just wanted to cover up the tears, but this _really_ hurts!_ "Really, it's because I bumped my head on the corner of this cabinet!"

A sweat drop appeared on Tifa, "It looks like you intentionally bumped your head…" Riku watched from the end of the hall, deciding to leave her in the care of her friends.

* * *

><p>-At Home—<p>

"So? First day of transfer, and you're already skipping class?" Axel asked casually, as if asking about the weather. "Lost to Riku again?" he guessed.

He sat at the table in his living room, a small pair of glasses on his face. He was focused on writing on a thick stack of paper. The door was open so he could look outside. On the porch lay Roxas, his back turned to Axel.

"I…I want to leave this place…" he murmured. "After only three days?" Axel asked, not taking his eyes off the paper. "Think of this as training, learn to endure it!"

Roxas didn't even seem to hear him. "I always say to her…some…wrong things…" he murmured. Axel looked at him, then took off his glasses.

"By her, you mean Kairi?" He laughed then, "As usual, you yelled at her again? If you know you're going to regret it afterwards, then don't yell at her," he said in a 'duh' tone. "You're hopeless," he chuckled good-naturedly. Roxas remained silent, not finding an answer for him.

"It's impossible," he said finally. "I'm not suited for living with other people."

Axel returned his attention to his story, occasionally flipping a paper. "Although there _are_ people like that, I think you are just purely lacking experience," he said reasonably. "For example, you can chop the table in half. You can also stop your fist. That's because you can control the strength of your punches, right? This should be the result of your training in the mountains, fighting with bears…" "I did not fight bears!" Roxas retorted irritably.

He rolled on his back as Axel continued like he wasn't interrupted. "Dealing with people is the same way. The only difference is that this training is not in the mountains, but in the city where people live. In dealing with people, sometimes you hurt others, or get hurt. If you don't learn from other people, in principle, you will never become an understanding person."

"You may be a black belt in martial arts, but in dealing with people, you're still a white belt. For the sake of someday, someone who will love you, now you must not run away. You have to continue your training." Axel finished.

Roxas gazed at him. "There are people like that?" he asked curiously. Axel chuckled, "What will you do if there is?" Roxas rolled back to his side, facing into the yard. "Hard to imagine…anyway, I will ask her, 'Are you crazy?'".

"Really?" Axel smiled to himself, sighing. Riku slid the door open, "I'm back." Roxas slid backwards out of view—he couldn't face that damn rat right now.

"Welcome back! Where's Kairi?"

"She went to her part-time job. She said dinner just needs to be reheated."

"She'll be back at around eleven, so I was planning to walk her home." Roxas froze when Riku mentioned this. He had a slight idea….

"Ah, go get her. Because there are real perverts around here," Axel warned.

* * *

><p>-Several hours later—<p>

Kairi was walking on the path in the forest back home. The moonlight shone through the trees, though she took no notice; she was too distraught over this afternoon's events. _Another hard day's work…I wonder if everybody's gone to sleep?_ She thought to herself in the silence except for the occasional cricket. _Roxas-san probably didn't eat dinner again…will he still be mad…? Or maybe he ran away again…" _she fretted.

"_You're in the way!"!" You're in the way!" "You're in the—"_

_Ah! What should I do? Mama…._

"_Kairi, you only need to follow your own steps!"_

Kairi scrunched her eyebrows together. "Yes…Mama, I will never get depressed," she promised. Suddenly, she heard some rustling in the bushes nearby, and she froze.

_What was that noise? This…can this be what I've been hearing about…?_

The rustling became louder as it got closer. _A pervert!_

She swung her bag around in a complete one-eighty. "I HATE YOU!" she screamed, squeezing her eyes shut. She felt her bag collide with something with a soft _thump!_. She squinted her eyes open hesitantly when there was no movement, only to see Roxas looking at her curiously.

There was a deafening silence as both teenagers stood awkwardly. Kairi was embarrassed beyond all belief. _I can't tell him! I actually mistook him for a pervert! How embarrassing! And I screamed "I hate you"…eh…_

Meanwhile, Roxas stood in shame. _"Hate"…what I said to her already made her push me away...?_

Kairi couldn't take the silence, so she tried to be casual. "Ah! You're not carrying anything! Are you taking a walk because of this nice weather?" she asked, trying to keep her tone normal. "Ah, about school…do you like it, Roxas-san…?" she asked, trying to switch to a different topic, anything to avoid embarrassing him further.

"Stop it!"

Kairi stopped talking at once. "You don't need to add the 'san' at the end," he added, trying to keep his tone level. "Just call me 'Roxas'."

"Ah…Roxas-kun?" Kairi said tentatively. "What? I said that's okay!" he said edgily. "Ah! I was just test saying it," she explained.

"Don't call me for no reason!" he shouted, losing his temper. "Yes!" she squeaked.

"Ah! Ah, no…no, it's alright…" he said, holding one hand up to her, the other across this eyes, trying to calm himself. Kairi watched him silently, curiously. "You can say my name for no reason…hanging around me is okay, too. If you're mad, you can…just like that, hit me hard," he told her quietly. Kairi drew a fist to cover her mouth. She gazed at him, his flustered attitude.

_This is…is he trying to apologize for today…? So he would be here? Ah! Maybe he wanted to apologize for hurting me…_

"Ah, that! Sorry…no! I hit you because I thought you were a pervert!" she told him matter-of-factly. He froze, looking disgusted and slightly offended. _Per-pervert? Great…._

"So, I'm definitely not mad," she assured. "In fact, just the opposite, I really like you! Because I've always liked the cat of the twelve Zodiacs!" He dropped his hand and looked at her, utterly thrown off guard. "Ah?"

"It's true!" she said, taking a step toward him. "I…I always wanted to be the sign of the cat!" she assured him. His eyes widened and his eyebrows rose as she continued, "In other words, I…I want to become friends with you!"

Roxas blushed as he remembered what Axel had asked him: _"What would you do if there is someone who likes you?"_ He shook his head, trying to hide that he was surprised. "Stupid…to belong to the sign of the cat is not something good!" he told her, before turning around and beginning to walk away, still blushing from embarrassment. Kairi watched his retreating figure.

_I'm beginning to understand Roxas-kun. Even though he's clumsier than others…_

_He really is a kind person._

She smiled and ran to catch up to him. _I understand your apology,_ she told him in her thoughts._ You're a straightforward person._

* * *

><p>-Back at the House—<p>

"Roxas-kun is a big pervert!" Axel sang gleefully. "Why must you twist things around?" he shouted defensively, turning red. "Yesterday was special, there will be no second time!" Kairi smiled, "Okay!" she said brightly.

Roxas was at the table with the others today, which is what was making Kairi very happy. As he took a bite, she told him, "I'm very happy that you would eat my cooking! How is it? Do you like it?" she asked eagerly. He didn't know what to say, then noticed Riku watching him out of the corner of his eye.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Didn't you stare at me?"

"I was only looking!"

"Why were you staring at me for no reason?" Axel continued eating as if his younger cousins weren't fighting like a married couple at the dinner table.

Kairi, who was still waiting patiently for Roxas to answer her question, ventured, "Not good?" Roxas rounded on her, "Very bad!" It was just the he realized she was referring to her cooking, _not_ Riku.

Riku frowned while Kairi tried to ease the awkwardness: "No problem, my timing was just bad!" _Always feeling angry…_ he thought bitterly.

_So, Roxas and I made up. From now on, looks like every day will be a happy day!_

* * *

><p><strong>Oh, boy, that was a LONG one! Whew! ^_^ I'm rather proud of it, though. And as I'm reading the manga offline, I had this one part in the wrong spot (the part where Roxas is complaining that he doesn't wanna go to school with Riku) so I had to go back to put it in the right spot. But, It was worth it! Please, review!<strong>

**~Liviyan**


	6. Chapter 6

**Yay! Ive made it to 6 chapters, that's the farthest I've ever gotten! Alright, so here we go!**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Fruits Basket OR Kingdom Hearts, though I really wish I did…**

_Chapter 6_

* * *

><p>-At School-<p>

"Autumn's here! So let's play…Poor Man!" Kairi said happily, holding up a deck of cards. It was a slow day in school, and it was their lunch hour. Everyone gathered around Roxas's desk (except for Riku, of course), and they looked up at the smiling girl.

"How does autumn have anything to do with Poor Man?" Roxas snorted. Kairi just smiled, "It's very popular for us!" she explained. "Doesn't have anything to do with me!" he retorted.

He turned around in his seat, closing his eyes. "For something like that, go get Riku!" he said irritably. "Go get that no-good Riku!"

"Ah…Sohma-san isn't here…" Kairi said tentatively, to which Roxas said "I don't care…"

Tifa sighed loudly. "Nevermind, I was going to say that you're stupid and clumsy," she said dismissively. At this, Roxas tensed up, clenching his fist. Who was calling _who_ stupid? "I thought I could make some easy money on you," she added. He spun around, "I'm mad now!"

Tifa just laughed, "You're afraid of a little competition! Are you sure you're a man?" she taunted. Kairi just watched, a little lost.

"I'll accept your challenge!" Roxas said, grinning confidently. "Don't cry when you lose, Tifa!" The tall girl stood too, mimicking Roxas stance. "Great! The one who loses will do the cleaning duty for the other three!" she said, sealing the bet.

"Ah…such a nice electric wave," Aerith commented next to Kairi, who smiled happily now that she was sure nothing was going to happen. "Next time, let's invite Sohma-kun too! Where did you run off to, Sohma-kun?" she asked aloud.

* * *

><p>-Somewhere else in the school—<p>

"Sorry…I-I don't plan on having a relationship with anyone," Riku said quietly, apologetically to a crying girl in front of him. "So, you're good gesture—"

"I don't want to hear it!" she interrupted suddenly, "Riku!" At that moment, she ran forward in an attempt to hug him, and he caught and held her on either side of her head. Turning red, he tried to get himself out of the situation diligently. "Ah….no, this…"

She glared up at him, "Riku, you are very kind," she said, though she sounded slightly angry and disappointed, "But you always refuse others."

He brought his hands back to his sides, "Ah…" She turned away dramatically, "Nevermind, everyone's been talking! Saying because you are very 'special', normal girls won't be able to go out with you!" she cried. Riku looked taken aback at this information.

* * *

><p>-Back in the Classroom—<p>

"Revolution!"

Everyone looked at the cards Roxas threw down. Tifa glared up at him, "What kind of dirty trick do you use? Stinking boy!" she said angrily. "I'm only following the rules!" he responded defensively, while Kairi and Aerith studied their own hands.

"Hmm…since 'Revolution' makes strong cards weak," Kairi started, looking at Roxas's cards.

"Secret technique," Aerith said, then threw her own hand down. "Anti-revolution!"

Riku walked down the hall, back to the classroom where he could hear the other kids chattering loudly. He stopped in the doorway as familiar voices reached his ears. "You got suckered, Roxas!" "Great job, Aerith-chan!" "Yeah, it's over…" "Shut up! It's only begun!"

He watched from the door as his classmates were gathered around the desk where Tifa, Aerith, Kairi, and Roxas were sitting. One boy ruffled Roxas's hair as he hung his head in reluctant defeat. He saw Kairi lean toward Roxas, smiling and congratulating him on a good game, as the blonde rested his cheek in his hand with a resigned look.

"_Riku, you…always refuse others…"_ He turned away and went to his own desk as the girl's words resounded in his head.

* * *

><p>-Later—<p>

Riku approached Kairi as she gathered her own things. "About Poor Man…I only know the rules, I've never played before," he explained.

She smiled up at him, "I just learned it from Tifa-chan not long ago!" she said. "You should join in next time, too!" she added happily. Riku just smiled, "So…he really became a poor man!" he said, looking over at Roxas, who was mopping the floor rigorously.

Kairi gasped, "Let…let me help you!" she offered. "No, a loss is a loss!" he told her. "But I will win next time!" He pointed at Riku, "Of course, I will win against you, too!" he said loudly. Riku just frowned at him, "You always say that. Don't you ever get tired of it?" he asked, sounding very much like he himself was tired of it.

Roxas threw down the mop, "Winning against you is my belief! My goal!"

Riku sighed, "You're always bothering me about it. All it is is troublesome." Roxas took a step menacingly toward him, "I hate your belittling-people attitude!" he shouted. Riku, however, did not back down. He gazed evenly back at the boy, "I hate your short-sighted thinking process," he said calmly.

Kairi brought her hands to her face in exasperation. _Fight…they're fighting again! Just because they're the cat and mouse, they can't stand each other…_Suddenly, she remembered the other day, when she last caught them fighting. _Right, last time…_

"_I will defeat you, and then officially become one of the twelve Zodiacs!"_

_That means…if Roxas defeats Sohma-kun, he can join the twelve Zodiacs? _

She scratched her head in confusion, then smiled._ Such weird thoughts I'm having…_

_The cat can join the twelve Zodiacs and make it the thirteen Zodiacs! This is great!_

"YOU NO-GOOD BASTARD! I'LL KNOCK YOU DOWN!" Roxas shouted at Riku, who looked not bothered in the slightest. _But fighting is definitely a bad thing…_ she thought, watching them. "Ah, Roxas…" she said, trying to calm him down, but yet again she went unnoticed.

"Wake up! You cold-blooded rat!"

Riku just closed his eyes in irritation. Roxas's eyes widened as Riku moved, then crouched.

**BAM!**

He kicked upward, hitting his cousin under the chin, sending him flying and landing hard. Kairi closed her eyes in fear, and she turned a shade of pink. Riku just looked down at him, frowning. "Whenever I see you…I feel so agitated," he said in tight voice, before spinning on his heel and stalking out the door without a backwards glance.

Kairi watched him, "Ah…Sohma-kun…"

"Annoying!" She turned her gaze back on Roxas, who just sat up, rubbing his head. "Why can't I win?" he asked in frustration. "Roxas…you didn't bite your tongue, did you?" she asked him, concerned.

"I'm not that stupid! Leave…leave me alone!" As soon as he shouted that, he stopped. "Ah…no, I didn't mean it that way," he amended hastily, holding up a hand towards her. She just smiled down at him, "Yes…but…"

Roxas just sighed, looking out the window. "I'm very bad…" he muttered. "I only get beat up…"

Kairi cocked her head to the side, not hearing him. "Eh?" He jumped up, and grabbing the mop back up, got back to work. "Nothing! It was nothing important…Anyway, go! Don't you have to work today?" he asked. Kairi was about to answer him, when he continued, "He sure didn't hold back today…ow…" he winced slightly as the scrape on his cheek stung.

Kairi watched him closely. "Could it be that he's not feeling well?" Roxas mused to himself, not realizing she was still there. "Hmmph!"

"_Whenever I see you, I feel agitated…"_

* * *

><p>-At work, several hours later—<p>

_Sohma-kun is perhaps someone who cares about others._

_But, he locks all his feelings in the bottom of his heart._

Kairi held the last bag of trash, deciding to take it to the curb on her way home. Her older co-workers looked at her kindly. "You've worked hard," one said. "Yaah, Mrs. Kokukawa! Hurry, come!" Another of their coworkers, who had just burst through the doors, urged.

"There's this really pretty kid outside! Is it a boy or a girl?" she said excitedly. Kairi, who had just taken her bandana off her head, gazed at them, listening. The other one scoffed, "Are you actually interested?"

Kairi's hand flew to her mouth. _Could it be…that…_

After changing out of her work clothes, she grabbed her bag and ran outside to the front curb (After taking care of the trash, of course), where she saw Riku leaning outside, waiting. _It was!_ "Sohma-kun!"

Riku looked up at her. "Hi. You've worked hard," he commented.

"You…you came just to get me?" She asked. "It's late, and it'd be dangerous for a girl to walk alone," he reasoned. She smiled, "Thank you! You and Roxas are really considerate!" Riku just smiled at her, an amused look gracing his features. "We should get going," he said finally.

"Oh, yeah! Sohma-kun, if you want to talk about something…or if you're feeling gloomy, please talk to me about it!" she said cheerfully. Riku looked back at her, "Eh?"

"It is said that if you talk about your nightmare, it might become a good dream!" she continued bravely. She wanted to make him feel comfortable, and she wanted to let him know that she truly wanted to help him. "If…if you would, please tell all the things that are making you agitated!"

Suddenly, two men walking by pushed Kairi into Riku. "Don't do your love talkin' here, youngsters! Go home!" one of them laughed.

**POOF!**

"I seem to be piling up problems for you," Kairi said sadly, as she kneeled in front of a rat Riku. "It's my fault for being like this…" he insisted.

She gathered up his clothes in her arms, and they began walking down the road towards home. "When I was at home," Riku began, "it felt like I was living in a jail under watch by Xion or other relatives."

"I really wanted to live a 'normal' life, with 'normal' people. So, I went to a co-ed high school and left home. But the result is still the same, I can't leap the fence," he said sadly. Kairi looked down at him, listening intently. "Still living at one of the Sohma family members, Axel's home. Still can't deal with 'normal' people."

"I didn't plan to refuse…but there's no way I can be with anyone. It's like I didn't want to fall in too deep, and drew a line for myself. Because I am this way…" he looked at his little paws sadly. _I can't get rid of my self-pity and cowardice._

"If I could leave the twelve Zodiacs, and in return I could generally get along with 'normal' people…I really envy him," he admitted. _I wish I could do that…change my shape, just like him…_"So whenever I see him wanting to become one of the twelve Zodiacs, I get really annoyed. I always have to think before I act; that's how it is."

Kairi was about to say something to him; her heart felt for this poor little rat/boy who was trying to deal with wishes and hopes. But before she could, he continued, "You also have the power to get people close to you. Many girls like you very much," he told her. "They think you are very kind."

"It's just because I want people to like me. That's why I'm kind to them. It's like the story of the guy who gave candy to everyone just to be liked. I'm only kind for myself…it might be some kind of fake generosity." Kairi opened her mouth, to tell him that it wasn't true, when it began to rain very hard.

**POOF!**

As usual, Kairi spun around in embarrassment as Riku changed back to human form. "Why all of a sudden? The weather forecast never said…" she wondered. "It's too bad," Riku murmured, before asking Kairi for his clothes.

* * *

><p>-At Home—<p>

"Axel!" Riku slid open the door to the living room, where Axel sat. Kairi followed behind him, a towel over her head. "Did you see the weather forecast?" he asked.

"Welcome back!" he greeted. "I just saw it, said something about a hurricane…you're all wet," he observed. "Hurricane?" Kairi repeated, "This is the wrong season, though!"

"This year's summer is about to end, so—"

"You're in my way!" Riku said, shoving Axel as he moved past, slinging a tarp over hi shoulder. "It's rare for me to get such poetic inspiration!" the red-haired man said dramatically.

Kairi watched as Riku slid open the door. "Sohma-kun? Where are you going?" But he just walked out into the rain and wind.

"Sohma-kun!" Riku glanced over his shoulder to see Kairi fighting the wind to get to him in a daze. "Honda-san! It's very dangerous," he warned her.

"No problem! Last time I stayed in my tent all night during the hurricane," she assured him. He gazed at her in shock as he grabbed her arm, "Was it really safe?"

"Sohma-kun, whatever is bothering you, you can always…" her voice trailed off as the wind howled around them. She noticed they had not moved, and she followed his gaze, to a small garden. "Ah! A field…?"

"The vegetable garden," he corrected her. She smiled in realization, "Sohma-kun! Is this…?" He smiled and nodded in confirmation. "Mm-hmm, this is my secret base."

"Great! So this was why?" she asked excitedly, "You have to guard the secret base during the hurricane!" She frowned in determination, "Although I am weak, please let me help!" Riku remained silent. _Uh…_

"You're really a nice person," he said, handing her a corner of the tarp. She smiled, then blushed at his compliment, "Eh? I'm…? Wah, this is the first time anyone's told me that!" she said, taken aback. She began to flail her arms about, "I'm very happy! But, but…maybe that's because I want people to think I'm a very nice person!" she reasoned. Riku watched her, amused. _The acts of a very happy person…_

Together, they spread the tarp over the small garden, Kairi and Riku on either side to hold it down. When they made sure it was secure, Kairi smiled at him. "But, my mother used to say 'rather trust than doubt someone'. Because people aren't born with a good or bad heart." She explained cheerfully. "The only natural instincts are for food, sleep, and things like that, that's the survival instincts." Riku pulled out a small hammer and began to pound a spike in one corner.

Kairi smiled fondly, as she remembered the advice her mother gave her. "One's good heart grows with the body," she said. "It slowly grows inside you. So everyone's heart is different.

"_Desire is something everyone is born with, so it's easy to understand. But one's heart is something new created by everyone. So it's easy to be misunderstood, and easy to be taken as fake."_

"_But, Kairi…"_

"Round, triangular…whenever I think about the shape of people's heart, I always get excited." Riku stopped hammering, listening to her words, drowning in the tenderness of her voice, even above the howling wind. "Your kindness is like a candle, lingers once lit. Making me very happy, and makes me want to smile. That kind of kindness," she explained.

Kairi then thought over what she had said, and her smile disappeared as she looked down. "But, using candles as an analogy, is it a little strange?" she asked. Riku started at her question, meaning he should answer. But what? "Ah…emm…" Because, really, it was very deep, not strange.

"No, no…I as a man, still would complain…" he trailed off, unsure where he was going with this. Kairi's bright smile appeared on her face again. "I am very happy! Because you spoke about yourself, it makes me feel like we're getting a lot closer!"

She sighed, looking down. "But, I feel rude this way…" she admitted. Of course! She was insisting he tell her everything; that was quite rude…right?

Riku looked at her, "Ah! No! Mmm…" he tried to reassure her. "No…" and suddenly the tarp flew up in her face, as he had not driven the pike in very deep.

She scrambled to get the tarp off her head, and Riku grabbed his half and tried to drive in the pikes in their corners. Kairi held her end down, "Sorry!" she apologized quickly, "I'll continue to do my best to guard the secret base!"

"_You must trust others. But, Kairi-san…doubt is something that everyone will experience."_

"_You must become a person that can be trusted. You will be able to help others"_

Together, they held the base down in the wind and rain for an hour. When the rain finally ceased, they removed the tarp from the slightly wet yet otherwise undamaged vegetables.

"We succeeded in guarding the base!" Kairi cheered. "But we got all dirty from the dust," Riku pointed out, holding the tarp. Kairi looked at him, "Should we pick something now?"

"The leeks should be good to eat right now."

Kairi turned her head as she thought distastefully about them _Leeks…leeks…._it wasn't that she hated them, she just didn't prefer them.

"Honda-san…next time, I want to play Poor Man…" Riku began hesitantly, almost shyly. "Ah? Of course you can!" she answered, "But, didn't you say you didn't have an interest in it?" He didn't turn to face her as he knelt by the vegetables. "No…it was just a bit crowded at that moment. So I felt a bit embarrassed. But…I'll do my best. Because it's also good to start slow. I would like to be friends with other people," he told her.

Kairi smiled, excited. "No problem! Aerith-chan and Tifa-chan are very good people! They are friends that I am proud of!" she exclaimed. "Plus, having a strong opponent like you, they will be very happy!" Riku, after a moment, smiled as well. "I will never lose!" he warned cheerfully.

_I feel that this is the first time I saw this real smile._

Kairi put her hands together, smiling to herself. _If he can smile like this in school…_

_He will definitely become the most popular person in school._

**So, there's chapter 6 finally! Im sorry I haven't updated quicker, I had so much going on in the past couple days—and graduation is tomorrow! Yay! Anyway, please review, and I'll try to get the next chapter up as fast as I can.**

**~Liviyan**


	7. Chapter 7

**WHAT? I'm back? Yes, that's right, I'm back posting another chapter! Please, don't kill me…to be one hundred percent honest, I just haven't been motivated to post until now. But I am now! So, here's another chapter! Who shall be introduced next?**

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Fruits Basket OR Kingdom Hearts.**

* * *

><p>-The Sohma House—<p>

Roxas looked down at his plate in horror. Why, might you ask? Because sitting there, on his plate, was the worst possible thing you could imagine.

That's right: leeks.

Roxas stood up in anger, "I hate, hate, HATE leeks!" he shouted in general, mostly at poor Kairi, who didn't know that she had made him angry. "Not just leeks though…you hate onions and miso too, right?" Axel asked. "Hey, as long as it's in soup, miso's okay!" Roxas retorted.

Kairi smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, I'll make you something else right now! I didn't know that you—" She was cut off, however, by Riku skillfully grabbing his chopsticks, Roxas's nose, and shoving the leeks into the blond's mouth all in one graceful move. "Eat it!" he ordered as the poor cat-boy was caught off guard; Kairi was speechless, not sure what to say. _There's nothing that can be done about the fighting between those two,_ she thought sadly. "He's already passed out, Riku," Axel spoke up.

_But Roxas may be charmed by Sohma-kun in a way. If they both understand each other, they might get along better._

Kairi closed her eyes, hands to her temples, as she began imagining the two boys getting along:

(**"It seems that I misunderstood you!" Riku said kindly, taking Roxas by the hands. "From here on, we must deepen our friendship!" The latter added almost tearfully**) –End Fantasy

Kairi was nearly shocked by what she just imagined. "I feel…that would also be scary…"

_**DING DONG!**_

All but Roxas looked up towards the front door in surprise. "Who could that be?" Axel mused. "Ah! I'll go get the door," Kairi offered, already on her way up. Making her way to the front door, she put on a warm smile. Opening the door, she found…no one.

"Eh?" The wind blew by slightly. There had been constant tapping on the door moments earlier, but now there was no sign of anyone. _Not here already, must be someone in a hurry,_ she mused. She was turning back inside when she heard a soft voice call out, "E-excuse me…h-hello…"

Kairi craned her head around, looking for the source, when she spotted a girl by the gate. "You're…Kairi Honda, right?" the girl asked timidly, "I…I…I'm Yuffie Sohma…is Roxas-kun..? Is he here?"

Kairi took a closer look at her. She was a very pretty girl, with short hair that fell just below her jawline, cut like a boy's. She wore a green short-sleeve dress with a long-sleeve white shirt underneath, the sleeves just a bit too long, and a pair of ankle-high boots. She also had on a sand-colored cat shaped backpack.

_Yuffie Sohma?_

"Roxas is fighting with leeks right now," Kairi joked, smiling at the girl. Yuffie gasped, covering her mouth with her hands, and looking teary and relieved. "He's back…!" She then rushed past Kairi into the house, muttering Roxas's name as she went.

_What a cute girl_, Kairi thought as she closed the door. _Can it be…her surname is Sohma…is it possible…?_

…_one of the twelve animal zodiacs, I wonder?_

Meanwhile, Roxas had recovered enough to dodge Riku's further attempts to get him to eat the leeks. "S-stop playing around! I said I won't eat leeks and I mean I DON'T EAT LEEKS!" Roxas yelled. "If you want to complain, then leave," Riku responded simply, though he did stop the onslaught.

"You don't even have to say it, I'll leave!" Roxas answered. Axel sighed, "Okay, okay! Riku and Roxas…" _They sound like a married couple bickering,_ he thought.

The sliding door suddenly opened, and Yuffie appeared in the doorway, gazing at the blond boy. "Roxas!" she shouted. All the boys froze in shock upon seeing her. "Yu…" Roxas started in surprise; his cousins were equally surprised, "Yuffie…"

"Roxas!" Yuffie had tears in her eyes as she looked at the boy in question. Kairi appeared in the door to the kitchen, watching. "These last four months…where did you go? Why didn't you call me? I really…" she broke off.

"I REALLY WANTED TO SEE YOU!" she shouted, punching Roxas right in the face. This was the last thing poor Kairi expected.

_Ah…?_

Kairi was the only one surprised, which only baffled her further. Riku simply shifted as Roxas was thrown past him into the yard, and Axel merely bent down as Yuffie leapt over him to follow.

"I…WAS…REALLY…WORRIED!" Yuffie continued, grabbing the poor boy by the ankle and swinging him in circles. Riku looked at the door, "The paper sliding door has to be changed again, Axel," he observed, indicating the giant hole in the paper that Roxas had obviously been thrown through.

"Why does everyone like to destroy other people's homes?" Axel sighed irritably, hand on his forehead. Kairi was still too preoccupied with the newcomer swinging Roxas around like a rag doll, however, "Eh…that…" Axel noticed her expression and laughed. "Don't worry, that's the way Yuffie shows affection! Like little kids who always pick on those who they love!"

"Is…is that so? But…her whole personality seems to have changed…" she managed to say, remembering the shy girl at the front door. She sat back down with Riku as he calmly explained to her, "Whenever she gets excited, she always gets like that, especially when Roxas is around. She's two years older than us, though she may not look like it."

"Plus," Axel added, "She's also one of the twelve Zodiac."

At this, Kairi immediately beamed. "I knew it! Which one is she?" she asked excitedly. "I thought you would know just by looking at her," the red-haired man replied, as all three returned their attention to the other two. "Roxas is getting beat up…" Kairi said weakly, as she watched Yuffie punch the boy repeatedly, Axel laughing.

With one final punch, Roxas landed on the ground with an "urk!" Yuffie stopped and gasped as her beloved lay on the ground. "Roxas...actually got beaten up this badly…" She grabbed the unconscious boy and hugged his head, "Who did this to you?" she cried. "That would be you!" Axel reminded her as Riku looked on in equal disbelief and Kairi in exasperation.

* * *

><p>-A bit later—<p>

A breeze blew into the house, and Kairi gave a little sneeze. "It's cold," Riku stated, looking at the gaping hole in the door. "Mmhmm, very cold," Axel agreed.

"Sorry," Yuffie said, sitting at the table. She looked up shyly at her cousins, "I'm sorry. After seeing Roxas, I was so happy and excited, I just used all my strength…"

Kairi rubbed her nose, thinking about the girl across from her. _Completely different person from a moment ago…and she's one of the twelve Zodiacs…_

_Which one is she?_

"Well, Roxas is at fault too," the black-haired girl glanced at the boy, who was sitting with his back to her and holding an ice pack to his cheek. "Disappeared for four months and didn't even call me…"

"Why did I have to call you?" he asked irritably. "Because we will be married someday," Yuffie answered matter-of-factly. "When was that decided?" Roxas asked in shock and anger.

Kairi brightened, "Oh, you have a fiancé?" she asked him excitedly. "Well, it seems there is a girl that finally likes you," Riku muttered with disinterest. "Congratualtions," Axel added. "Why, you bunch of…!" Roxas seethed.

"When we were young, you said that you wanted me to marry you!" Yuffie insisted. "Yeah, because you threatened me!" Roxas reminded her. "Why? When members of the twelve Zodiac marry, isn't it the happiest? Being able to understand the pain of being possessed?" she asked. "Plus, as one of the twelve Zodiacs, hugging each other will not change our form," she added as she hugged a very uncomfortable Roxas. She even threw her arms around Riku, who also clearly did not want her to. "See? It's the same with Riku!"

Kairi was intrigued at this, "Really? How?"

"It's not really clear…there are two other girls among us, and hugging them will also not result in us changing form," he explained. "Get off me," he gently pushed Yuffie off, but she wasn't offended.

"Ah? There are two other girls?" Kairi asked, looking positively thrilled. "Do you want to know what year they are?" Axel asked her. Kairi thought, trying to decide, "Mmmm…it's better not to tell me! Let me slowly and excitedly think about this! It seems more interesting that way." Axel chuckled, "Sounds like you."

Yuffie raised her hand, "Let's get back to the topic?" When the others stopped chatting, she continued, "Anyways, if one of the twelve marries a 'normal' person of the opposite sex, usually a marriage won't end happily…right Axel?"

Axel sighed, running a hand through his fire-red hair. "Mmm…there may be other problems. In society, it's inconvenient for us to work. The most important is that whenever we hug, we will change; that's really an annoyance. Se—" he was abruptly cut off, however, by Riku shoving a bowl into his face and saying 'Dirty!" as a confused Kairi looked on.

Yuffie seemed not to notice, as her attention was back on Roxas. "Roxas! Say it clearly, do you really like me or hate me?" she asked with great intensity. The boy backed away, feeling uneasy, "Eh?"

"I love you! I love you most in the world! Love you the most in the universe!" she explained. "I want to cook good food for you everyday…"

"Hey! Ah…" Roxas tried to cut in, but he couldn't get a word edgewise in as she kept going, "Even if you have an affair, I'll pretend you weren't thinking straight at the moment and I'll forgive you. Even more, thinking about who would love you this much, there's only me!" she insisted, then grabbed him by the collar. "You think this way too, right?" she asked menacingly. Roxas couldn't say anything, shrinking under the girl standing over him.

"Roxas is a weakling under pressure," Axel chimed knowingly, munching on a cookie. "But Kairi likes Roxas too, right? Year of the Cat fan!" Kairi nodded happily in confirmation, and Yuffie glared at her. "How can it be…? My rival!"

"Eh…" Kairi paled, not thinking the way Yuffie was at all. Riku looked as if he wished this conversation wasn't happening at the moment. "But I won't lose!" Yuffie said to Kairi, looking determined. "The power of my love is capable of overcoming any obstacles!" Kairi looked startled, "That…"

"What do you like about Roxas, Kairi? I love all of him! All of him!" the hyper girl insisted passionately. "Hey!" Roxas called, looked seriously agitated. "It doesn't matter if it's good or bad, I accept all of it! Even when Roxas returns to his true form, I can accept that too!" Suddenly, she was stopped as Roxas clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Please, stop!" He said, as she looked startled. Kairi looked up at her friend, confused.

_True form?_

"Anymore of this talk, and I won't forgive you!" he added to Yuffie, ignoring Kairi's questioning look. After a heartbeat, Yuffie had pinned his arm behind his back, "How would you not forgive me? SAY IT!"

Riku sighed, unwrapping a piece of candy. "Roxas, just say you'll forgive her!" Kairi was thinking about what Yuffie had said earlier, _What did she mean by 'true form'?_

_But, anyway, Yuffie seems to love Roxas deeply. I, who hadn't had my first love yet, feel a little envious when seeing her intense love for a guy._

* * *

><p>-That night—<p>

Yuffie had changed into a robe, and set up a futon mat for her to sleep on in Axel's office. "I would also like to live here," she said to him, "There's a girl living near Roxas, I don't feel secure…" Axel continued picking up books for her to have room, "If you stay for one night, you should get enough of it."

"If it is like this…tonight, I'll eat him!" she stated (**A/N: I have no idea what she means by this…I'm only copying down what the manga says.**) Axel stood at the door, "From now until tomorrow morning, don't leave the room, and don't destroy more of my house," he told her.

"Hmph! Axel, you don't understand a girl's feeling of being intensely in love!" she added. Axel smiled as he stacked a couple more books, "I also felt envious before," he assured her.

* * *

><p>-Elsewhere in the house—<p>

Kairi hung her school uniform up on the line, still wet from the hurricane the night before. "This is bad…I forgot to hang my uniform to dry…"

"Damn!"

Kairi looked up at hearing a familiar voice. She noticed a ladder going up to the roof. _On top of the roof…?_ She wondered. She climbed up to see a familiar boy sitting up there, and tried to get his attention. "Roxas!"

The boy jumped, startled—he didn't think anybody would think to find him up here, or at least bother him. "What?"

Kairi wondered for a second why he was here, on the roof of all places. "Why are you here?" Then, she thought of something: did he even have a room? He had only been here for a few days, a week at most. "Ah! Oh, Roxas doesn't have a room…did I take your room?" she asked worriedly.

"No! I sleep I the living room usually. I'm up here because today, Yuffie's here…" he said. "She shouldn't be here?" Kairi asked, confused, as she climbed up next to him.

"I don't know why! She always screams about marriage and stuff…always, always, always!" he muttered angrily, while Kairi was at a loss for a moment. "I mean," he continued, running a hand through his blond hair, "what's wrong with her? She's so damn annoying…" he grumbled. Kairi smiled and looked off at the tops of the trees surrounding the house.

"I feel…to love someone like she does, it's very amazing. And, marriage is truly a girl's biggest dream!" she said after a moment. Roxas just glanced at her warily. "Eh? What are you saying…?"

Kairi decided to take it somewhere where he was more comfortable. "Roxas, you're dream is to defeat Sohma-kun, right? You even went into the mountains to train…" Roxas thought for a moment, "Ah? Mmm…you heard it from Axel?"

"Training…is it very hard? Plus, only by yourself," she continued. "I wasn't alone! I was with my master," Roxas explained. "Master? Is he very strong?" she asked.

At this, Roxas grinned widely, "Ah! Of course he's strong! If that bastard Riku meets my master, he won't even withstand one hit!" he exclaimed proudly to her. Standing up, he said "Master is also one of the Sohmas, but he understands me. From when I was little, he taught me martial arts. He is truly strong!" Kairi gazed at him, listening to him in wonder. "Although training in the mountains was harsh, every day felt like an accomplishment. Just thinking about it made me excited! Every day I waited for tomorrow to come! Thinking about what Master would teach me next, how much stronger would I become?" Kairi saw him get more and more excited, and happy as he told her of his training.

_For the first time, Roxas is excited like a teenager…_

"Ah, I haven't practiced with Master in a long time!" He said, as he had long ago fallen into his own little world and wasn't paying any attention to Kairi.

_It's not just for the sake of winning against Sohma-kun; he is someone who really loves martial arts._

Suddenly, Roxas remembered who he was talking to, or even that he had company with him. "Telling a girl like you these things, it's really boring, right?" he asked, sitting down and sounding disappointed. Kairi was thrown off, "Eh? No...no way! Although I have no understanding of martial arts, I won't feel bored!" she assured him hurriedly. Roxas just sighed, unconvinced. "Whenever someone's talking about something I don't understand, I feel bored," he said.

Kairi didn't want poor Roxas to feel upset with her, or that he couldn't talk about it with her—she had to say something! "Sure, if we were talking about something like physics, I would fall asleep, but I'm not totally uninterested in martial arts! I know a little for example!" She made a fist and punched him in the shoulder, "Right straight punch!"

She froze, her fist still connected with his shoulder, him unmoving. A few seconds of silence went by, before he turned to her. "That was really clumsy…" he said finally, a small smile on his face. Kairi smiled happily, relieved to see him feel much better around her. He began showing her positions and explaining to her what she should do, though hard as she tried she just couldn't follow it.

_Again, I found another true Roxas. Hidden under that always angry face, is an awkward smile._

* * *

><p>-The Next Morning—<p>

Yuffie hugged Roxas, who was trying to brush his teeth before school. "I'll come visit you again…stay healthy!"

Kairi smiled, "They're sure in high spirits in the morning!" Axel smiled cheerfully, "Oh, did you figure out which Zodiac Yuffie is?" Kairi blinked, suddenly remembering the Zodiac. "Not yet!" _He said I should know by looking at her, but…_

"Roxas, you are an idiot!" Yuffie yelled in frustration, and she began running to the front door. "I won't give you a goodbye kiss!" she said, to which Roxas responded "I don't want it!"

Kairi, however, saw what could happen. "Yuffie, look in front of you!" To no avail, however—the spirited girl crashed through the front door and ran down the path, Axel shouting incredulously at his again busted door.

"Roxas…I LOVE YOU THE MOST!" she punched a hole in the wall by the gate…right into the paper boy.

**POOF!**

Kairi, Axel and Roxas looked in horror as Yuffie transformed; what were they going to do? He was going to see!

Riku, however, appeared out of nowhere and pushed the boy away, blocking his view of what was happening. "Good morning, great weather today. What is it?" he asked. "I…I forgot to deliver the morning paper…" the boy stammered, staring at Riku.

"Great timing, Riku!" Axel cheered. Kairi let out a breath of relief, "Today Sohma-kun seems to shine even more!" Roxas relaxed, "That was damn close…be careful Yuffie!"

"I'm sorry…I never thought there would be a guy there…" Kairi perked as she realized she was going to see Yuffie's animal form.

A small black pig sat on the ground in front of them, looked sad and guilty. Kairi picked her up and said excitedly, "Axel, I understand it now! Yuffie is the Year of the Pig!" Axel chuckled, "After transformation, it doesn't count."

"No wonder Yuffie is always straight to the point…the habits of a pig!" Axel sighed, "What's with the reasoning _after_ you found out the answer...?"

Kairi looked at the little pig, "Yuffie, I feel I can understand a little why you love Roxas so much. Because Roxas has many, many good traits! So, I want to be like you…" At this, Yuffie's ears perked and she kicked the boy across the face, "ROXAS YOU TWO-TIMER! SEE? I CANNOT LEAVE YOU ALONE!"

"What did you say?" Roxas asked angrily. "Didn't you say you would allow him to be unfaithful?" Axel asked, while poor Kairi looked bewildered. "I never said I wouldn't teach him a lesson," the pig answered, clutching the boys head.

"That…that…that's not what I meant!" Kairi said, trying to get Yuffie to calm down. "I'm trying to say that I would like to be like Yuffie, to become someone who can find all the good traits of the one I like."

Yuffie stopped and gazed at the brunette. "Like me?" she asked. "Yes! I believe that's a very wonderful thing!" Kairi confirmed, smiling.

**POOF!**

"I got praised," a now naked Yuffie giggled happily, holding onto an extremely embarrassed Roxas, "PUT SOME CLOTHES ON!" Axel deadpanned, "Roxas, relax."

As they were leaving the gate a few minutes later, Yuffie started in the opposite direction. "Good-bye! Roxas, I'll bring presents next time!" she waved. Kairi waved back happily, "see you again!" Roxas kept walking as if he didn't hear her, and Riku watched her walk away with Kairi, looking disappointed. "Really, life is messed up. I didn't even have time to plant."

"Ah, planting new vegetables at the base?" Kairi asked. "Mmhm, planting strawberries," Riku answered. "Strawberries!" Kairi said excitedly, clapping her hands a little.

"I felt you would love them," Riku smiled charmingly. Kairi blushed, and felt a knock on her head. "We're late," Roxas reminded them. Kairi brought a hand to her head, and rushed to walk between the boys to school, a smile on her face.

**Okay! All done! Probably the longest chapter I have ever done, seriously, or at least it seems like it. ^_^ So, we find Yuffie as Kagura! I figured she'd be the best choice because she's so tough, and loud, but in a good way-I really like Kagura. I had no idea where to stop, and everywhere I tried before this didn't feel right, so it'll be here. Plus, I suppose I owe a long chapter to make up for the long absence. I'M SORRY! *bows***

**Anyway, please review so I will be happy. And now I will go to sleep, as it is 2:40 a.m. and I'm tired. ^_^**


	8. Chapter 8

**Whoooooooooooo, hey guys! It's me, back from the dead with another chapter (2 years later...oy...)**

**Sorry to all my readers that enjoy reading this...I originally got too busy to keep up, and then I forgot about it. Every summer I re-read Fruits Basket, and so I feel like this will become the pattern. So, at this rate, it'll be another 10 years before I finish this ^_^'**

**Also, as I feel I should probably mention this, I choose which KH characters portray which Furuba characters for my own reasons. I'm not saying you have to agree, but please do not shoot down my choices; if you don't like it, don't read it, then. So, with that out of the way, here's another chapter of Fruits Basket: KH Edition!**

**Disclaimer: I don't actually own either Fruits Basket or Kingdom Hearts...just a few of the games and a copy of vol. 1 of the manga.**

* * *

><p>-At Kaibara High-<p>

Kairi browsed her school library, slowly meandering up and down the aisles of shelves. She had come here on a mission, and she would not leave until she found what she was looking for. _I need to figure out Roxas and Riku...ah! Found it!_ She picked up a copy of Martial Arts: Fiery Spirit, smiling and tucking it under her arm.

_I want to know more about them. What they like, what they don't like, their hobbies..._

"Alright, now for gardening..." She found a couple garden books, and even found a couple recipe books. "I bet there are several dinner ideas in here I could use! Alright!" she cheered to herself. All of a sudden, the librarian poked his head around the corner, "Kairi Honda? You're needed at the office, you have a phone call."

"Okay!" she answered, and after checking out her books, made her way to the main office, where the secretary handed her the phone. "Hello? This is Kairi Honda...oh, Grandpa!" At her grandfather's greeting, she lit up, but her smile slowly slid off her face as he kept talking to her. "Oh..."

* * *

><p>-At Home-<p>

"Grandpa called me at school today," Kairi began, sitting at the table in the living room. The boys all sat around, curious as to what she wanted to tell them. "He told me the renovations were going smoothly, and now they're complete! So..." she trailed off, looking down at her hands.

_I almost forgot that...that I would leave this house at a moment's notice. I thought, for a moment, that I would be able to join their family...but I was wrong._

Riku and Roxas both looked at her, shocked expressions on their faces. Axel even looked over his paper at her in surprise; from the looks of it, they all had forgotten as well. Kairi explained that she would pack up her stuff and planned to leave tomorrow.

The rest of the day passed quietly, nobody mentioning the inevitable. Kairi tried her best to go about as normal, and boys had the good grace to go along with it.

* * *

><p>-The Next Morning-<p>

Kairi sat with Axel and Riku, running off instructions that she could remember. "Those pickled things in the fridge must be eaten as soon as possible! And you are all out of soy sauce, so you have to go pick up some more...they changed the garbage pickup day, so make sure you have it out on time...let's see...oh!" She handed Axel a small slip of paper, "Here's my grandfather's address and phone number. Please have it!"

Riku pointedly looked away, staring blankly at a wall. Axel smiled, "Thank you, Kairi."

"Oh no, thank you very much for taking care of me! And don't worry, your family secret is safe with me, I promise!" she urged. Axel nodded, "Well, when you get home, please take care."

Roxas, who was listening from outside on the porch, just huffed, drawing a knee up. Riku made no move, no noise. Kairi simply told them good bye, and to take care, and then she was gone.

_I was mistaken..._

Two hours later, and the boys still hadn't moved. Axel took a drag on a cigarette. "I thought for sure you would convince her to stay," he told his cousins.

"Why would we do that?" Riku replied evenly, "Didn't she say from the very beginning that she would only be here until the remodeling was done?"

Roxas slid down into a laying position, "She was an outsider. She didn't belong here anyway," he added a little forcefully, as if he was trying to convince himself of something. Axel remained silent, just as down as the other two. _The air feels heavy,_ he thought.

In her room, Kairi sat on her knees and looked at her mother's picture, blue hair shining. _It seems I'm wrong from top to bottom...I could never become one of their family members. _"It seems, for a long time, I didn't fit in," she told her mother's picture.

**-Flashback-**

_**Five year old Kairi and her kindergarten class were wriggling with excitement—their teacher had told them it was time to play Fruits Basket.**_

"_**Attention, everyone! It's time to play a game, let's enjoy this time together!" She had written the rules on the board, and picked a child to start off assigning fruit to the others. The little boy stood up, and pointed to another little boy, "You're an apple!" and he pointed to the next child.**_

"_**Cherry!"**_

"_**Peach!"**_

"_**Banana!"**_

"_**Pear!"**_

_**Finally, he pointed at her. "Kairi is the riceball!" he said a little rudely.**_

_I don't know why, but boys always picked on me back then. This was one of those times. But, I wanted to say..._

_**Riceballs seem so tasty, she thought to herself. "Okay, let's start!" the boy called, and yelled out peach. The girl got up and ran to the middle. Soon, all the children managed to be in the middle...all but Kairi. She remained in her seat, smiling the entire time.**_

_But, I waited patiently for them to call out 'Riceball!' I guess the me back then wasn't too good at thinking about things._

* * *

><p>-At Her Grandfather's House-<p>

Kairi stood on the threshold, holding her bags and bowed to her aunt and uncle. "Hello, long time no see!" she greeted cheerfully. "I'll be troubling you from now on!"

_From the very start, the riceball could simply never join the fruits basket._

* * *

><p>-At Axel's House-<p>

Axel and Riku were in the kitchen, where a towel covered several clean bowls and a note from Kairi sat on the counter. "Huh, seems she's taken off then," Axel noted, "A clean goodbye!" Riku just walked out of the kitchen without a word. "A really clean goodbye," he repeated to himself, smiling sadly. "But it really makes me feel sad..." he picked up the note, "...Kairi."

Meanwhile, Riku sat on a rock at his secret base, resting his cheek in his hand thoughtfully.

"_**Oh, strawberries! I really love them!"**_

"_**The dim light that can be made bright in one stroke...that kind of kindness."**_

"_**Please continue to be friends with me!"**_

He remembered the talk they had while trying to protect the base, and how at school, she had asked to be his friend even if her memories were to be erased.

Roxas lay on top of the roof, hands resting under his head as he stared up into the pink-hued sky.

"_**I love the cat in the Twelve Zodiac story! I wish I was born in the year of the cat!"**_

"_**Straight punch!"**_

Roxas closed his eyes as he remembered how passionate Kairi was when she explained her fondness for his Zodiac, or how hard she tried to assure him of her interest in his martial arts.

Both boys thought of how cheerful she was as she brought dinner to them all, her smile, her...and suddenly, both of them had a determined gleam, as if they thought of the same thing.

* * *

><p>-The Next Morning-<p>

Kairi sat on the floor in her and her cousin's room, gathering her books into her bag. Tucking a piece of burgundy hair behind her ear, she picked up two books and froze when she noticed which ones they were—the gardening and martial arts books she checked out yesterday. Was it really yesterday? It seemed like a lifetime ago...

_Everyone should have finished breakfast by now, _she thought. _Should I maybe have said something before I left? Oh, but I guess I'll be seeing them in school..._

"Hey, did you finish getting ready?" a voice sounded from the doorway behind her. Kairi jumped and shoved her books into her bag quickly, "I'm sorry! I'm almost done!"

Her cousin sighed dramatically, "Really, we just moved into a bigger house! Why should I have to share a room?" she complained.

Her grandfather peeked over her shoulder and greeted Kairi in his usual way, "Aqua!" Her cousin looked annoyed, "Grandpa, she's Kairi-chan!" she reminded him, but Kairi, already used to it, paid him no mind, "They want to see you downstairs," he told her.

Kairi quickly rose and and ran downstairs to the dining room, where her aunt stood looking quite stern, and her uncle sat at the table. Her cousin and grandfather watched from behind the kitchen counter. "Sorry...what's the matter?" she asked.

Her aunt sighed, "This kind of thing...I feel we should say it early on. It seems, Kairi-chan, that until now you have been living with three men. I already had a detective agency look into it." Kairi and her cousin looked shocked, for different reasons.

"What?! No way?! Unbelieveable!" Her cousin shouted, sounding more impressed than her mother. Kairi, however, stammered. "A detective agency? I mean, it is true, but why did you do that?"

"My son has the dream of becoming a policeman. If someone in the family has a...history, it could be a problem." Her aunt removed her glasses, "Although I do think a detective agency _is_ overdoing it a bit, but it is true that Aqua did many things like that before...well, like mother, like daughter," she said scornfully. "So, of course I'm concerned. So while you're here, please do not do anything reckless."

Kairi, feeling too ashamed at disappointing her family to correct them, looked down. Her uncle chuckled dryly, and she looked up. "Kairi-chan, the men in that house...did they do anything out of line?" he asked, smirking.

Kairi understood his implications, but before she could answer she heard a **slap!** Looking up in surpise, she saw her grandfather with his arm outstretched, and her uncle with a red cheek, her aunt looking horrified. "Grand..." she murmured, "Grandpa?!"

The old man 'hmmphed!', lowering his arm. "You only know how to make fun of others?" he scolded, before turning to Kairi, "Aqua, sorry. Please, pay them no mind."

"Eh? No problem," she answered, still a little shocked. He just smiled gently at her, "They are the ones that make people dislike them." In outrage, her aunt and uncle shouted "Grandpa, don't say anything more!"

"Hmm? Why? Did I say something bad?" he asked. Turning back to Kairi, he continued, "But they, to me, are very important family members. Even if they say something bad, I'll endure it. But I can't let you continue to endure it and stay here!"

Kairi tried to find words, "This..." Her grandfather chuckled, "Ah, no! I'm not trying to make you leave! Aqua, I just feel like you were not made to endure this. So...for you, Aqua, this home is too restricted. If you want to go somewhere else, feel free to do it," he told her kindly.

Kairi bowed her head, trying to find her voice. She felt as if something was gripping her heart, and she eventually opened her mouth, "To say that...I would be treated badly, as if I'd be condemned by God or something...it's not like that. After all, I got Mom's love, and also two wonderful, loving friends. The Sohma family...they were all kind to me, and I was able to live in a house with a roof. I'm thankful, for all these things."

_But...but..._

"So then, why do I want to go back? I never thought leaving the Sohma's household would be so lonely...and I want to understand Sohma-kun and Roxas. I'd like to get to know more about them...I'd like to eat meals with them and talk to them about many things."

_Actually, I...I never wanted to leave...I want to..._

"...stay in Sohma-san, Roxas and Axel's house...that's what I really want..." She felt tears beginning to fill her eyes, and she was unable to stop them. Embarassed, she put her arm up, over her eyes.

_This is what I want? Is this proof that I'd like to be free to do whatever I want?_

"Is it...?" a familiar voice sounded beside her. "Then, just come back!" Kairi looked up in surprise, and saw Riku smiling at her.

"What? Who..?!" her family sounded behind her, incredulous. A hand reached out and grabbed her head, "Let's go!" another familiar voice said. "Yahh! Roxas?" she asked, "Why...you too?" Roxas began walking, pulling her gently out the door with his hand still on her head. "Roxas...this...why..?" she asked, confused.

Riku smiled after them, then turned to her family. "The door wasn't locked, sorry for intruding! Is Honda-san's luggage upstairs?" he asked her grandfather.

"Wait, hold on a sec! What's the meaning of this?" Kairi's aunt asked. "I came to take Honda-san back!" he replied.

Her uncle flushed slightly, "Ah! So you're one of the three men the little tramp was shacking up with?" he asked.

Riku's smile became cold, before pointing in his face, "Do not ever talk about Honda-san in that way, you idiot!"

**-Meanwhile-**

Kairi was still protesting as Roxas pulled her down the street, "Ah...this...this..Roxas, why did you guys come..?"

"You left us the address, didn't you!?" he shouted, letting go, "and it was hard to find! And you made me come here with that stupid Riku, too!" he added angrily, remembering how he had shouted for the silver-haired boy to let him see the map, and he had refused.

Kairi stood there silently, while Roxas ran his hand through his blond spikes, still upset. "I don't know why we did it," he answered her question, "It's just that when you aren't there, I can't calm down! And because I don't know why, I just get more agitated!"

_But...they actually argued all the way here and endured it...to come and get me?_

"And one more thing!" He added, turning on her, "If you didn't want to leave, you shoulda said so from the start!" Kairi blinked, "Why did you say that?" she asked nervously. How could they know? She never once said...

"We heard you, you know! All of it!" Kairi turned red, embarrassed. She hadn't meant for them to know. Roxas fell silent, before he spoke again, his voice a lot gentler. "To let yourself do what you want...that be wouldn't be that bad, would it? Even though letting you do whatever you want bugs me, your situation is..." he trailed off, looking down the road. Kairi blinked, silently waiting for him to finish.

"Even if you said something sad," he began again, "even if you say something ignorant, that's okay! Even if you're sad...that's not a problem!" Kairi blinked. He was telling her that...it was okay to let her feelings be known? He was being so kind to her, she felt her eyes well up with tears again. "N-no problem..." _Even if you are sad..._

Roxas heard a small sniffle, and looked over to see her crying. "Wha-!? Tears!? What happened, why are you crying!?" he asked her loudly, "Hey!"

"I...want to go back..." _No problem! _His words rang in her head, "I want to go back, back home with everyone!" she cried, sniffling some more. Roxas blushed, then reached for her hand. "I hear you, let's hurry on back!" He began to drag her again, _At least she isn't crying_, he thought. Behind them, Riku watched silently, holding her bags and smiled before catching up and taking her other hand.

Kairi looked at Roxas' back in surprise, before smiling. In her mind, a young Kairi, sitting on a chair in her kindergarten classroom, looked up at a little boy. _"Riceball!" _he called, and the happy little girl finally got up and ran to the others.

_Someone like me...a person living in happiness...you won't find another me in this whole wide world, I guarantee!_ _Oh, Mama...!_

"Hey..."

"You're nose is running."

"Oh, okay! Sorry!"

* * *

><p>-Back at Axel's House-<p>

"Congrats, you've successfully taken back the princess!" Axel clapped. "You! Always saying something unpleasant," Roxas grumbled, taking off his shoes in the doorway. "It should be 'rescued'," Riku agreed behind Kairi, who was bowing to the red-haired man. "I have returned..."

"Mmhmm! If you have any problems from now on, I'll deal with them," Axel assured her. "Ah! N-no no, I've already troubled you enough!" Kairi rushed to try and assure him. He didn't have to do such a thing, he was already kind enough to her! "It's no problem, as long as we can keep living like we did before," he replied.

"Those two forcefully took the address away, then they ran out to find you," he told her, as she took off her shoes and stepped inside. Riku walked past her to drop her things off in her room. "And it seems that hard work paid off. Ah! This is the first time I saw Riku that excited!" he teased his silver-haired cousin, who promptly stopped and turned back. "Huh?! When did I become excited?" he protested, a blush spreading on his face, "No way..."

"Liar!" Roxas butted in, Kairi silently listening, "You had that facial expression like you didn't want to let go of her!" Before they knew it, Riku slapped him across the face, "Wasn't that you?" he asked. "RIKU!" Roxas yelled angrily, while Kairi just sighed in happy resignation and Axel rubbed the back of his head exasperatedly. "Well, even if it's like this, please take care of them, Kairi."

The girl looked happily up at the man, "Okay!" while the boys argued in front of the new hole beside the stairs, "Today, I will defeat you!" "Just try it..."

_To the people in my new home: I'm back!_

* * *

><p><strong>Well, there we are! What a chapter! No new Sohmas here, but I love this part of the story (okay, I love all of it, hush...). Kairi has come back to live with Riku, Roxas and Axel!<strong>

**I hope I did okay, considering this is the first new chapter in 2 years. Please, if you can review, please enjoy and be pleasant! If you don't, but like this anyway, please enjoy!**

**Peace!**

**~Liviyan**


	9. Chapter 9

**Another chapter! I'm trying to get as many chapters up as I can, before I forget about this and let it collect dust in my laptop. Here you are, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: ...Do I really need one at this point? Everyone on this site and their mother know I don't own these titles...**

* * *

><p><em>Taking in the new and sending off the old...the party to celebrate that is about to begin.<em>

* * *

><p>-At Home-<p>

"Ahh!" a shriek ran out before a loud **thud!** resonated through the house.

"Honda-san! Are you okay?" Riku asked, rushing down the stairs. He, Roxas and Kairi were currently lugging large stacks of books downstairs, and Kairi had slipped and fallen the last two steps, books spilling everywhere.

"Ah...yes, but...Axel's books..." she said weakly, pushing herself up. Roxas followed down more slowly, "I told you not to help this early in the morning," he admonished. Annoyed, Riku glared at him, "She's doing it for you, because Axel's den is now your room. Of course she's going to help!"

"I didn't ask for your help, you know!" Roxas replied, irritated. Without hesitation, Riku dropped the two stacks of books he was carrying onto the boy. Kairi looked on, pleading the two in her mind to understand it was okay.

"STUPID RAT!"

"Die. You're never going to change the way you are."

"YOU SHOULD CHANGE _YOUR_ WEIRD HABITS!"

_Everyone, I'm Kairi Honda. Isn't it great? I'm living with the Sohma family! Axel-san, Sohma-san, Roxas-kun and me. A total of four people living together._

Axel appeared behind Kairi, who grinned up at him cheerfully. "Hey, you guys! If you have time to argue, you have time to move books!" he scolded the two younger Sohmas. Riku sorted through the books and handed a stack to Kairi. "These are the lighter ones," he said kindly. Roxas just grabbed up as many books as he could and stomped off, muttering _that damn Riku_ under his breath.

_But, the Sohma family has a really big secret! They're possessed by the twelve animals of the Zodiac! Due to that, their bodies are unusual. I'm not sure why, but when a female hugs them, they turn into animals! And I can never tell this secret to anyone. No matter what, they are always kind and open._

Axel reached own and picked up a couple pieces of torn paper off the floor, and held it in front of Roxas, who had thrown the books down in frustration. "Roxas, you tore off a bunch of the covers."

"Look, I'm a lot faster than you at this!" Roxas retaliated defensively. What did it matter to him if he tore up some of Axel's books? He could just get a new one if it bothered him so much.

_From here on, many interesting things are about to happen! I'm eagerly awaiting each new day!_

_**Ding-dong!**_ The doorbell rang. "Oh, they're here!" Kairi said excitedly, dropping her books and running to the door.

_And today, we have guests!_

"Welcome! Was it hard to find your way here?" Kairi warmly greeted, and brought her guests into the living room where the Sohmas were. "Okay, here I go! I'm gonna officially introduce everyone! This is Tifa Uotani and Aerith Hanajima!" she said happily, gesturing to the two girls behind her. "These are my best friends!"

"Hiya."

"Nice to meet you."

Roxas remained silent, looking as irritated as he usually does; Riku's sea-green eyes flashed inquisitively, and Axel raised a hand in greeting, "Yo!"

_Okay, I should probably explain why Tifa-chan and Aerith-chan are here to see me._

* * *

><p>-<em><strong>Flashback<strong>_-

_First of all, I had asked Axel if I could tell the two about the fact that I was living with the Sohma family._

"_**No problem! I don't mind anything you tell them, as long as it not about the twelve Zodiac thing," Axel smiled over his paper. "Ah! Oh, thank you so much!" Kairi replied, happy and relieved she could tell her best friends. "So, what kind of friends does Kairi-san have?" Axel asked curiously.**_

_**Roxas, who had walked to the kitchen for some milk, heard the question. "A yankee and an electric eel," he deadpanned, Kairi slightly embarrassed.**_

_At that, Axel kind of froze. And before I knew it, I explained everything to my friends._

**"**_**WHAT?! You used to live in a tent? And now you're living in the Prince's castle?! Really?!" Tifa had sprung to her knees, surprised at the news her friend had told them. The burgundy-haired girl smiled apologetically, "Yes...sorry for not telling you. Many things have happened, but it's all solved now. They're really good people, so please don't worry about me!" She tried to assure them. She would hate for them to be worried about her when they didn't need to be.**_

_**The girls all sat in silence, the shadow of the fence criss-crossing their blanket as they took it in. Munching thoughtfully, Aerith spoke, "That's...really some shocking news. If Riku Sohma's fans find out, won't there be trouble?" she imagined the gleams of anger in said girls' eyes. Kairi, unsure of what to say, didn't answer.**_

_**Tifa sighed, "Well, it's no wonder. For some time now, I've felt like you, the Prince, and Blondie were very close. So that's why..."**_

_**Crunching the bag her chips came from, Aerith asked matter-of-factly, "Is it okay if we come visit you?"**_

"_**Huh?" Kairi was caught off-guard. She didn't know the conversation would take this turn. "If I get to see the place where you live, I can relax," she replied. "Ah, great idea, Aerith!" Tifa agreed enthusiastically, "Let's go now!"**_

"_**W-wait! If you just show up, there won't be any tea prepared!" **_

"_**Oh that's right. We'll make sure it's okay with them. We'll just wait for the weekend then!" Tifa decided cheerfully, "Then we'll go to your place and spend the night, okay!" Kairi had no choice but to agree. She didn't want to say no, her friends were just trying to make sure she was in a good environment. And at least they decided to wait for the weekend! She wasn't sure how the boys would have reacted if they showed up unexpectedly.**_

_-**End Flashback!-**_

* * *

><p><em>And so, after three days, the weekend is here!<em>

Axel smiled, "Please, come in and make yourselves at home!" His younger cousins gathered closer. "Is it really okay to let them visit?" Roxas asked worriedly. Axel shook his head good-naturedly, "Ah, you're worrying too much, Roxas!" Riku sighed, "Axel...you didn't really think about this, did you?" he asked quietly.

Aerith looked over at the three whispering among themselves. "Dog," she said simply, and the three Sohmas and Kairi froze in fear. "There's a dog in here," she continued, pointing to where there was indeed a dog with it's front paws on the porch across from them. Axel spun around, "AH?! A...a rea...I mean, uh, I mean yeah, it's really a dog! Come in, come in!" he yelled at the dog frantically. Riku and Roxas let out the breaths they were holding, their hearts beating a mile a minute.

Once they all sat down around the table, Kairi began pouring some juice. "Excuse me," Tifa began, "You're Axel, right? What do you do?"

"Ah, me? I'm a novelist!" Axel beamed. A clatter rang out as the unopened bottle fell onto the table, Kairi jumping up in surprise. "You're a novelist?!" she exclaimed. She had no idea! Her friends flinched at her sudden movement, "What is it, Kairi-kun?!" Tifa shouted, while Aerith merely asked, "Why are you so surprised?"

Kairi sat back down and began to hand out the cups. _I...I had no idea! Now that I think about it, he's home a lot, isn't he? _"You write novels? Pure literary novels?" Riku asked. He didn't even know, and he lived with Axel the longest.

"Mmm, yes. I, myself, like this one." He pulled out a small book, titled 'Summer's Regret'. Kairi stared at it, confused at why Roxas, Tifa and Riku all were looking disgusted.

"Ah! Sorry, that's not the one! This is mine," he quickly pulled out another book of the same size, putting them both on the table, "The other I just like to read."

"You're book isn't very special! And also...!" Tifa began, but couldn't finish her thoughts. "But...but, that one's pretty good," Axel protested

"You...you old pervert," Roxas grumbled. Aerith reached forward to grab 'Summer's Regret' and began reading. "What are you doing?" Riku asked his fire-headed cousin in exasperation.

Kairi, however, couldn't believe it. She was in the presence—no, living in the house, with someone as prestigious as a writer! "To think that someone so close to me is a novelist!" she flushed in admiration. "Honda-san, don't praise him, he'll become arrogant." Riku said, while Axel looked quite proud of himself. "Hey, he already is! Can it really get any worse?" Roxas rolled his eyes.

_I learned something new! I'm so happy!_

"Ah, that's right! I just thought of something!" Kairi jumped up, smiling. "Please, wait right here awhile!" and she ran out of the living room. Axel also got up and smiled, hand on the doorframe, "Sorry I can't stay, I have work to do. You kids have a good time now, okay?" and he was gone as well, leaving Roxas and Riku with the two girls. An awkward silence befell them, while Tifa looked deep in thought and Aerith was reading.

"Kairi...she seems to have gotten used to this family," Tifa said slowly, causing the boys to jump slightly. "I'm very happy...she didn't tell us so that we wouldn't worry, I know that. But..." She leaned forward and rested her cheek on her fist wistfully.

"We made a promise in front of Aqua's grave, that when she needed us, we'd be there for her." She blew some of her black bangs out of her face and continued, "I know it might sound a bit extreme, but Kairi is really our best friend! She really is...she helps us very often! But this time, we couldn't help her. I don't feel good about it..it's like, Kairi is in some kind of pain, and we, as her friends, can't help her at all..."

"She won't think like that. She's not like that at all!" Roxas said finally. Tifa and Aerith looked up in surprise this time. "Honda-san, she is someone who doesn't want anything in return. That kind of person..." at this, Aerith widened her eyes as she realized that these boys, whom she barely knew a week ago, understood her best friend better than even she did. Suddenly the door opened, and Kairi appeared, a pink flash.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" She pulled out a deck of cards, "So let's play 'Poor Man'!" Riku blinked in surprise. "Ah, that's not a bad idea, Kairi!" Grinning evilly at Roxas, Tifa kept talking, adopting her threatening voice from her yankee days with a playful tone to it. "Picking up where we left off? Great! I want to make Blondie lose some more!"

"Great! If I win, you have to dye your hair blonde!" Kyo smirked back, beginning their usual betting.

"Then if you lose, you gotta get rid of that dumb sand color and dye it white!"

"This is my natural color, dammit!" Kairi, meanwhile, knelt down and offered the cards to Riku, "Sohma-san, will you please shuffle the deck?" Riku was taken aback, "Ah..? O...okay," he gave a small smile and took the cards.

In Axel's room, the young man was on the phone, "Yep, yep. Then, I'll come to your place tomorrow? Okay. Huh? Ah...yeah, Kairi's friends are here," he explained as he could hear that young woman with the black hair yelling back and forth with Roxas. "They seem to be having a good time out there."

"YOU ANNOYING LITTLE BRAT!"

"DON'T GO, WE'LL PLAY AGAIN!"

* * *

><p>-Later, that night-<p>

"Oh my," croaked Tifa, letting her long hair out of it's clip, "I yelled too much, my throat is sore!" Kairi, in her own pajamas, began fluffing and arranging the pillows so all three girls could be comfortable in the bed. "Yep! And I lost!" she said cheerfully. She didn't mind, she just had so much fun with all of her friends together.

"You're bed is very nice," Aerith noted, gesturing to the very large bed that she sat on the edge of. "Ah, Axel bought it for me," Kairi explained. "He's like a grandpa to you, isn't he?" Tifa asked, her tone light and joking.

Down the hall, Roxas came out of his room to go downstairs and grab a small snack, but heard the voices as he passed Kairi's room. "Huh? Kairi? You still have this hat? Hahaha!" he heard that yankee ask, before Kairi's more chipper voice answered where he could practically feel the smile in it, "Yeah, because it's a happy memory!"

At this, he stopped outside her door and peeked through the crack between the wall and door at the girls to see this hat. "Which memory? Tell us!" He heard Aerith urge. He saw Kairi holding a small, red baseball cap, one that looked vaguely familiar to him...

"That's right, I still haven't told you, Aerith-chan. When I was about 6 or 7, I was always being picked on by boys. One day, lots of them were chasing me, and I got scared! I ran all over the place and got lost," she explained. Roxas remained where he stood, transfixed on that hat, and her story. "I was afraid that they'd find me, so I hid myself. Slowly, night passed and morning came. At that time, I was so afraid that I started crying."

Kairi closed her eyes and remembered. A little Kairi, a small hair bauble tying up a bit of hair on the left side of her head, kneeling down and crying of fright in a small alleyway. She remembered how desperately she wanted her mother, to go home. And then..."and then a boy wearing a hat showed up in front of me. He stared at me for awhile, and then ran off; because of that, I ran after him." She remembered the pounding of shoes on the street, her pleading to the boy:

_**Please wait! Don't leave me alone! Please, I want to go home!**_

She remembered tripping, falling, the boy waiting until she ran closer, as if he was leading her. "I could almost catch up to his shadow...and every time...an unbelievable boy," she murmured. Her friends watched her patiently, waiting for her story to finish. Kairi could recall the soft weight of the cap being placed on her head, before she heard his footsteps run off. "When I noticed where I was, I was at my own front door. I don't know at all where the boy went. He only left me this hat, he didn't say anything." When she didn't say more, the girls took it as a cue that she finished.

"What a romantic story," sighed Aerith. Outside, Roxas clenched his fist. "Maybe you'll meet again after several years and fall in love," he heard Tifa say, "If that came true, it would be even more romantic!" After thinking about it for a bit, she laughed, "Ahaha! You won't meet again, right?" Roxas turned and went back to his room, no longer hungry.

"It's hard to know what will be. It's a small world," Aerith said. "That's true, I guess. If we meet again, I would like to thank him," Kairi said. "But that boy...he might've forgotten about it already. But now that I think about it..." she smiled tenderly, deep in thought.

_My first love may have been that boy._

The three leaned against the pillows, and Tifa sniffed a bit. "You...even from a young age, you remember such great stories."

"Ah, no! I wouldn't say that!" Kairi giggled. "But I'm very happy about this...I only noticed awhile ago. Living with the Sohma family, that is. And also that I had a mother who loved me. And also Aerith-chan and Tifa-chan, two great friends. You two always support me," she said gratefully. "Always by my side, never wanting anything in return...always supporting me and giving me love, I'd be a fool if I didn't give thanks for that. I'm so grateful," she clasped her hands together sincerely. "My favorite kind of people..." Suddenly, Aerith and Tifa remembered what Roxas and Riku had said earlier:

_She's not at all like that!_

_Honda-san is someone who doesn't want anything in return. That kind of person_

Tifa smiled, "They understand you very well, don't they?" Kairi was confused, "Eh?" Aerith smiled too, "It's true, isn't it?" she asked Tifa, "That's just how Kairi is..."

_She definitely won't ask for help...everything that she has, she will be thankful for and cherish..._

"The eternal friendship, right?" she asked, as the three laid down for the night, Tifa and Aerith each clasping Kairi's hands. "Yep!" the cheerful girl answered.

* * *

><p>-The Next Morning-<p>

Roxas stood in front of the fridge, drinking milk out of it's carton. Kairi somehow always bought an extra carton, once she quickly caught on how much he liked milk. He looked over to the door when he heard it slam open, and in walked Riku, looking quite groggy.

"Hey, Riku," the sandy-blonde boy called, sounding a bit concerned (which surprised himself), "You...you seem..." he trailed off as the other boy locked eyes, green to blue, and shuffled his way back to Roxas before dropping his head on his shoulder, dead asleep.

"Oh! Is Sohma-san usually this weak in the morning?" Kairi asked behind him. Roxas, quite unnerved at the proximity, yelled "Come on, you! Open your damn eyes!" Riku picked himself up, but shuffled out like a zombie down the hall. "Hey, Roxas, I don't get it. Even though you want to defeat Sohma-san, you didn't attack him just now?" Kairi asked, curious.

"No way!" Roxas gripped the milk tighter, crushing it, before turning away in shame, "Because when he's half asleep, he's at his best...I tried to sneak attack him a couple times," he muttered, ashamed more of the embarrassment of losing to a half asleep person than actually attacking said person while they were in such a state.

Kairi didn't know what to think. She was sure Roxas had some integrity when it came to fighting, but she had no idea he would sink this low. Of course, she couldn't say something so rude. Roxas turned back around, and his voice became louder, "Yes, I never held back when attacking him!" he yelled, as if he read her mind, "He's fearless and cold-blodded! Others have to train for results, and he just gets them!" Distantly, they both heard a rapid padding, as he shouted "That _annoying_ rat!" Suddenly, Riku came out and quickly gave an uppercut, knocking Roxas to the floor, carton flying.

"Hey, aren't you still asleep?!"

"Your annoying voice woke me up!" Kairi quickly grabbed the trash and picked up the crumpled milk carton.

"Okay, you bastard! Come and get me, I'll beat you up! IT'S MY GOAL IN LIFE!"

"This early in the morning? What are you doing?"

"The cat and the mouse." The three teens nearly fell over in shock and fright at the unexpected voice from the doorway, where Tifa and Aerith stood. "That's what it looks like. You, always fighting like those cartoon characters," she explained coolly. "What, you mean Tom and Jerry?" Tifa asked."Their relationship seems kinda weird," she added to Kairi, who nodded. "J-just a bit!" she answered, still collecting her thoughts.

The boys were faring even worse, hearts thudding madly. _Right, right...there are people visiting,_ Roxas thought to himself, trying to calm down and rubbing his now red cheek.

"...but this family seems like a happy one. If Kairi doesn't have a good living environment, I will come up with ways to solve that," the braided girl threatened, "**_many _**ways."

"What kind...?" Roxas and Riku asked nervously. Both were ignored, however, "But...the two of you sport pretty nice electric waves," she said contently. "_Wha_?" they boys asked incredulously. How weird was this girl? "Huh? Not intentional? Well too bad." Tifa pulled Kairi close, hand resting on her head, while Aerith hugged the girl on her other side, "Thanks for taking care of Kairi," the black-haired girl said, smiling gratefully. "Yes, please take care of her," Aerith added.

Touched, Kairi began to sniffle, "Tifa-chan...Aerith-chan!" Roxas and Riku both looked away, embarrassed. _It sounds like they're marrying her into the family!_ they both thought. "Whatever, can it, will ya?" Roxas said, trying to cover up his discomfort.

Turning away, both girls walked out, talking about breakfast. Over her shoulder, Tifa called back, "I'll come here often to visit you guys!"

"Yes, I'd like to know more about the Sohma's mysterious electric waves." Roxas called after them, slightly worried "Hey! Hey!" Turning back, he huffed, "Those two girls are annoying!"

Kairi gasped, "Ah! I...I should be careful with the Zodiac thing. But, Tifa-chan and Aerith-chan are really good people, so, they..."

"Are a bother! It doesn't matter to _me_ what they're like," Roxas said reluctantly, while Riku smiled at her, "They are Honda-san's good friends, too." Kairi smiled happily at how they accepted her friends so easily, even Roxas. "Eh? Where's Axel?" She asked, noting the man's absence. "Looks like he's gone out," Riku answered.

* * *

><p>-At the Sohma Estate-<p>

_The Banquet has started. What will happen here...?_

"Since Kairi came, Riku and Roxas have become much more open that before," Axel said thoughtfully, sitting on a porch and watching the breeze lazily rustle the leaves. "If if goes on like this, it might become something great." At the silence that greeted him, he turned to his companion beside him, "What, did you really want me to say that it might not be good at all? Aw, that gets me down! Kairi is ten times better than you are!" he said jokingly to the smaller, black-haired person beside him.

Xion scoffed, "Come on. I'm someone who has demands. I won't settle for anything less..."

_But whether the results will be good or bad..._

_Not even the gods could tell you that._

* * *

><p><strong>Awesome! Jeebus, it's difficult to turn a manga into a story sometimes -_-' Thanks for reading guys, I hope you enjoy. I'm typing this all up because I obviously want to, but please drop a review every now and then. It really, really makes our day.<strong>

**~Liviyan**


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